


Accidentally Ours

by LadyPaigeC



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who & Related Fandoms, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Accidental Baby Acquisition, Adopted Children, Developing Relationship, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Fluff, Kid Fic, biological children, circular paradox
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-23
Updated: 2019-03-07
Packaged: 2019-11-04 10:08:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 23,259
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17896472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyPaigeC/pseuds/LadyPaigeC
Summary: The Doctor and Rose are traveling when an unexpected visitor charges them with guarding an infant in danger. This brings them closer than ever and changes the course of their lives. By letting the love of a little girl into their hearts, the Doctor and Rose become a family and go on to have a mix of adopted and biological children.





	1. Chapter 1

Rose skipped along next to the Doctor as they made their way to the flower market on Trillium Seven. The sweet scent of blossoms hung heavy in the air. 

Rose grabbed his hand and turned to the Doctor with sparkling eyes. “And the flowers really last for 3 months?”

“Yup! They’re a very popular Mother’s Day gift. Your mum’ll love ‘em.”

As the two of them rounded a curve in the path, a man with his back to them and holding a pile of blankets popped into existence in front of them. Rose turned incredulous eyes from the newly arrived Doctor to the one standing at her side. 

Rose’s Doctor yelped, “What?”

The other Doctor turned and held up his hand to cut off any other comments. He panted out, “I don't have much time. I’m from the future, obviously, but I can't tell you how far.” Rose’s Doctor, wide eyed and slack jawed, nodded. “Aaaand, well, I can't tell you much more than that, but Doctor, Rose, you need to watch over and protect this precious cargo until she can be reunited with her parents.”

The older Doctor pocketed a sonic she hadn't noticed him holding and she suddenly realized that the bundle wasn't just blankets, but a baby wrapped in blankets.

And now that Rose was paying attention, she took in the other Doctor’s rumpled appearance. His jacket was misbuttoned, his tie hung loose, his hair was flat and messy, and he looked as though he hadn't slept in months. _Haggard._ Rose shivered thinking about what the future had in store for them. She swallowed. Or well, the Doctor’s future anyway. _Where 'm I?_

“What? Why? Even for us this is highly irr-” 

“Please.” Rose had never heard such desperation in the Doctor’s voice before. “This little girl is so very important and she’s being hunted by a swarm of Gworatimians.” 

The Doctor at her side gasped. “But they-”

“I’m sorry. The best option seemed to be taking her out of her timestream to hide her. Well, that and I remembered this happening back when I was you. Circular paradox and all that.” He closed his eyes briefly before opening them with a soft smile for Rose. “Anyway…” He handed the sleeping infant to Rose and adjusted the coordinates on the vortex manipulator strapped to his wrist.

The younger Doctor shook his head and called out to his successor. “Wait! How long...?”

The older Doctor glanced back at them. Rose caught a flash of anguish, before he hid it with a grin and a wink. _Something terrible must’ve happened._ “Why? Don’t think you’re up for a spot of babysitting?” 

“Doctor...”

He ran his hands over his face. “I know that what you’re asking is if I’ll be back in five minutes’ time.” 

The younger Doctor’s eyes narrowed. “It’s a fair question. We do have access to a time machine, though you’d never know it with that...that thing around your wrist. You could easily deal with the swarm and be back in seconds.”

Rose rolled her eyes at the Doctor for thinking he was ever that precise with his landings.

“You think I don’t know that!” the older Doctor hissed. He closed his eyes and took a shaky breath. He returned his gaze on his younger self. “Rose, my Rose, is with...” His eyes briefly glanced at the younger Rose and the baby. “...the others in the TARDIS. They’re safe there while I deliver this little one to you. You know that the TARDIS doesn’t always take us where we want to go, and for reasons I cannot tell you, because it is too important to your future and my past, this is one of those times. So to answer your question, you’ll have to watch her a little longer than five minutes though I can’t tell you exactly how much longer. I’m sorry. But you’ll understand when you’re me.”

The younger Doctor let out the breath he was holding. He didn’t like it, but he trusted his future self to maintain the timelines. And he was grateful that he hadn’t been given anything specific that he’d be compelled to uphold. The only future knowledge was from the perspective of the future. He nodded. 

Rose glanced nervously down at the infant, and when she looked back up, the other Doctor was gone. “How long do you think we’ll have her?”

“Eh, can’t be that long. A day or two. A week, maybe two...tops?”

“What’re we going to do?”

“You heard the other me. Babysit.”

“But I’ve never babysat for anyone before.”

“Really? Never?”

“Only child. And when I needed a job, I preferred workin’ in the shops to dealin’ with screamin’ brats all day.”

“It’ll be easy peasy. Nothing to it.”

“I think there’s a little somethin’ to it. What about formula and...nappies and stuff?”

“Oh, erm, I’m sure we can find supplies on the TARDIS and if not we’ll go shopping.”

Rose snorted.

“What? You’re not one to turn down a shopping trip.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Please, like you can talk.”

“Oh! I can! I speak baby.”

“That's not what I...wait? You what?” Rose shook her head. “Nevermind. Doctor, this is serious. Neither of us has any experience with kids. All I know is they’re sort o’ squidgy.”

“I- I was a dad once.”

Rose whole world tilted on its side. “You...what?” She thought she knew him. Maybe not everything, but the important things. _A dad?_ She didn’t think he... They flirted and sometimes she thought he might actually do something about it, but he never did. She’d assumed he just...didn’t. But now. Now she knew he’d had a child...with someone else. That meant, he just didn’t...with her. And there was this other nameless/faceless woman in his past that he never mentioned. _Does he still love her? Is that why..._

“On Gallifrey.”

 _Oh, God. She must have been...the Time War._ Rose felt bile churning in her stomach. 

“In fact, when I first left on the TARDIS, I took my granddaughter with me.”

Rose’s head snapped up and she gawked. “Granddaughter?”

“Rose… I’m over 900 years old.”

“No. I know that.” Rose knew that, she did, but she didn’t really know what that _meant_ until this moment. 

Neither knew quite how to break the silence that followed. 

When they had just about made it back to the TARDIS, the baby started whimpering.

Rose rocked her and looked at the Doctor. “Well?”

“Well, what?”

“Well, what does she want?”

“I don’t know!”

“You just said that you’d been a dad.”

“I’ve never been around a newborn though.”

“How could you have never been around a newborn? What about when your-”

“Time Lords were loomed and unlike humans our offspring didn’t come out undercooked. They were born to be the equivalent of a, oh, I don’t know, 13-month old human.”

The Doctor opened the door to the TARDIS and preceded Rose inside. 

Rose gritted her teeth. “Fine, Mr. Superior Physiology, but didn’t you also say that you spoke baby? Can’t you tell what she’s cryin’ about? An’ maybe ask ‘er or somethin’?”

“Oh! Right.”

When she stepped onto the grating of the ramp, the Doctor took the baby from her and held her in the crook of his arm being careful to support her neck. Her whimper quickly turned to a wail. He peered down at the crying infant and scrunched his forehead in concentration. “Erm, maybe she needs changing?”

“Is that what she’s saying?”

“She’s not saying anything. Not really. Just ‘Mama Mama Mama.’ She’s too young to know what she wants, other than her mother. Blimey, but she is new. Mustn't be more than a few hours old.”

Rose mumbled, “Right. ‘Speaks baby,’ he says.” 

“Oi! It’s not my fault you lot give birth to offspring that are neurologically underdeveloped.”

Rose took the baby back and glared at him while gently rocking her.

“I’m not blaming humans, mind. There are a lot of reasons why your offspring are born to be helpless and not fully developed. Partially it’s the familial bond…”

Rose cooed at the baby, “I’m sorry if you’re hungry or need a nappy change. Yes, I am.”

“...Partially it’s due to the ratio of brain and thus head size versus size of the birth canal as dictated by the pelvic opening in upright walking bipeds...”

“But I can’t do anything about that now. Especially while the Doctor’s on a ramble.”

“...but mostly it’s due to the metabolic burden that gestation places on the mother…”

“Do you think maybe you can stop cryin’ til the Doctor can take us to get some supplies? What do you say?”

“...and so by 9 months or thereabouts, the metabolic demands of the fetus becomes greater than the mother’s ability to sustain the energy requirements of both the baby and herself…”

“That is if he ever stops talkin’.”

“...and so the mother must deliver...are you listening, Rose?”

“Uh huh. Bond. Head size. Energy.” Rose was making silly faces at the baby, and talking softly to her. “I think you like the sound of the Doctor talkin’ as much as he likes the sound of himself.” The baby stared at Rose with big eyes, having finally quieted.

The Doctor smiled wistfully at Rose. She’d make a wonderful mother and he dreaded the day she’d ask to leave - to start her own family with someone that wasn’t him. It was a countdown the Doctor felt hanging over his head. Her words to the baby finally penetrated and he let out a mock affronted, “Oi!”

Rose grinned up at the Doctor. “So, she’s human then?”

“Huh?”

“Well, it’s jus’ you were blathering about humans and bein’ born early compared to the almighty Time Lords. Is she human, do you think?”

“Oh, well, human-ish. Probably descended from humans at the least. She’s got the right coloring, hair, complexion.”

“But you’ve got all that, and you’re-”

“And she’s neurologically underdeveloped at birth.” He winked at Rose. “But i won’t know for sure until I can check her out in the medbay. Come on, we should do that now, so we know what she needs.”

On the walk to the medbay, Rose darted a quick glance at the Doctor and bit her lip. “So, Time Lord babies were-”

“Time Tots.”

“What?”

“Time Lord babies were called ‘Time Tots.’”

“Oh.” Rose giggled. “‘S kind of a silly name.”

“Oi!” He exclaimed, but without much heat.

Rose smiled with a hint of tongue and the Doctor broke out into a grin too.

“Yeah, suppose it is. And they weren’t born in the traditional sense either.”

“Oh yeah, you mentioned that earlier. What d’you call it?”

“Looming.”

“An’ what’s that? Like test tube babies?”

“Test tube? Rose Tyler, Time Lords were the most technologically advanced society in the galaxy, they didn’t...test tubes! Looming was far, far more advanced.”

“Alright, alright. Time Lords. Superior in every way. Got it. But why looming and not...you know,” she blushed, “the traditional way?”

“Well, other than Time Lords being mostly emotionally repressed and thinking themselves above the mess?”

Rose gave a surprised laugh. “Yeah, other than that.”

“They felt there was too much risk involved.”

“Risk? Like with letting themselves fall in love?”

Rose looked so earnest just then, that the Doctor had to turn away from her penetrating stare. “There was no place for love in Time Lord society.”

Rose dropped her eyes to her feet at the Doctor’s softly spoken pronouncement.

He cleared his throat. “But, erm, I meant risk of maternal and fetal death. Looms eliminated all of that.”

“If they were so advanced, couldn’t they use all that technology to make pregnancy and birth safer?”

“Yeah, don’t you see? That’s what they did. The looms eliminated maternal and fetal death completely. Genetic engineering at its finest.”

“And was...were _all_ kids on Gallifrey loomed?” 

“No. Mostly just the Time Lords. The regular Gallifreyans typically had womb born children. Every once in a while a Time Lord would too. A friend of mine, Leela, married a Time Lord and had a baby the old way. Caused quite a stir too.”

“Oh. And, ah, yours? Was your child loomed?”

“Mmhmm. Both of ‘em.”

“You had two?”

“Yeah. A son and a daughter.”

Rose shifted the baby into one arm. She brought her free hand up to the Doctor’s bicep and stopped walking. “I...I’m so sorry, Doctor.”

He opened and closed his mouth, then swallowed down a lump in his throat. The most he could manage was a stiff nod. _Where’s the bloody medbay?_

Rose ran her fingers down the Doctor’s arm and took his hand in hers, giving it a squeeze and pulling him into a walk again.

“I...I was a terrible father. Probably an embarrassment.” He gave a brittle laugh. “No, most definitely an embarrassment. My whole house disowned me. I was an even worse Time Lord than I was a father. Never really fit in.”

“That’s no reason for your family to disown you.”

“One of the drawbacks of the looms. Familial bonds aren’t as strong. It’s all political advantage and prestige. And the Time Lords were big on non-interference. Even in the face of evil, they’d choose to sit back. Unless of course it directly affect them. Ran away first chance I could.”

Finally the door to the medbay appeared and the Doctor rushed in gratefully.

After taking a mouth swab and running a full body scan on the infant, the Doctor and Rose stood before the monitor waiting for the results to load. When the scan of the baby appeared on screen, the Doctor’s hearts skipped a beat. _Binary vascular system?_

“Does she have two hearts? Is she…” Rose held her breath afraid to give voice to her first thought.

The Doctor read through the results in an instant and he released the breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding.

“Skalish”

“What?”

“The DNA and bioscan reveal that she’s Skalish from the planet Skale. Makes sense since Skales were one of the primary prey of the Gworatimians.”

“But she’s got two hearts.”

The Doctor glanced at Rose. “Lots of species have a binary vascular system, not just the Time Lords. Dulcians, Kirithons, Kulans, Apalapucians-”

“Right. So she’s not, um… Do you know what she can eat? That was the point of running the tests, yeah?”

“Luckily Skales have a physiology halfway between Time Lords and humans, so we should be able to get everything we need on Earth or any Earth colony.”

Rose nodded “Okay. So next step...we need supplies. And a baby expert wouldn’t go amiss either.” She walked out of the medbay and directly into the control room.

The Doctor pouted as he looked around. _Sure, now you move it to where I wanted it earlier._ “Rose Tyler, I-”

Rose held up her hand. “Don’t even say it.”

“What?”

“You.”

“Me?”

“I think we’ve established you are no expert on human...or rather Skalish newborns.”

“Oh! No! I was gonna suggest calling one of your friends. Don't you know anyone with a baby?”

“I’m not sure. I lost touch with most of my friends after bein’ gone a year. All except for Mickey, Shareen, an’ Kiesha. And I know none of them have a kid.”

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. “Er, about that, I never properly apologized. Did I?”

“It’s okay. It wasn’t completely your fault. I forgave you and the TARDIS a long time ago.”

“Still.”

“Thanks.” Rose looked down at the baby who was just starting to fidget again. “My cousin, Mo, has a little boy. Remember? He was at Mum’s when we were watchin’ the news about the spaceship crash, before we knew it was the Slitheen.”

“Wouldn’t keep his hands off the remote? That one?”

“Yeah. Him. Anyway, he’s the only kid I really know. But if we go there, Mo’ll have called Mum before we finished walkin’ through the door.”

The Doctor paled at the mention of Jackie. “Right. Let’s avoid that at all costs.”

“Why don’t we just head to the shops, yeah? There’s bound to be someone there that can help. Maybe they’ve got lists or a book or somethin’.”

The Doctor’s eyes widened in delight. “Oooh. Books! I’m sure I’ve got something in the library that-”

“Doctor, we don’t have time to go huntin’ through the library for a book you might have. She’s been fussin’ for a while now.”

The Doctor ran up to the console. “Right. One quick stop to the Galaxy’s best baby store, Baby Buggy Boobie. Hold on to something! Allons-y!”

Rose wedged herself between two struts. “It’s not really called that!”

“‘Fraid the name could use some work, but they really do have everything we’ll need. Seven floors of dummies to diapers, playpens to prams, milk to morliporandorf.”

“Morli-what?”

The TARDIS landed with a jolt. Rose clutched the baby closer and grabbed a strut to keep from toppling over.

“Add a harness to our shopping list.” Rose stood straight and headed for the door.

The Doctor bounded over and held open the door. “Ladies first. Morliporandorf is-”

The three stepped out and the Doctor snapped his mouth shut as they came face to face with Jackie Tyler in the middle of her living room.


	2. Chapter 2

_The three stepped out and the Doctor snapped his mouth shut as they came face to face with Jackie Tyler in the middle of her living room._

He mumbled under his breath, “I've really gotta start double checking before we leave the TARDIS.” 

Jackie’s eyes strayed down to the infant in her daughter’s arms and then narrowed in on the Doctor with his hand still low on Rose’s back. “An’ jus’ how long have you two been gone this time?”

The Doctor swallowed and began shaking his head. “We haven’t-”

Jackie growled and took a step toward the Doctor. “I have a grandbaby and not one of you saw fit to even ring me?”

“No! Mum, she’s not-”  
“You’ve got the wr-” Jackie cut him off with a slap to the cheek. 

He grabbed his jaw. “Ow.”

“Mum! The baby’s not ours. Really, we’re just babysittin’.”

“Pull the other one.” Jackie looked disbelievingly at the pair of them. “She looks jus’ like you did when you were a baby.”

“Mum, you say that about every single baby you come across. ‘Looks jus’ like my Rose did when she was that age.’ ‘Sides, all babies look alike or they wouldn’t have to put a name band on them in hospital so they don’t get mixed up…" Jackie raised an eyebrow at them. "She’s not even human! She’s from a planet called Skale.” 

Jackie scoffed. “You expect me to believe Mr. I Hate Domestics over there is adding nanny to the CV?”

“Jackie, we couldn’t not take her. She’s being hunted by creatures that are... They’re called Gworatimians. They hunt in swarms and target infants, because they’re the most vulnerable in a population.” 

Jackie covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. 

“They feed off of the brainwave frequencies of time sensitive species and Skales, because of their proximity to Gallifrey, developed a slight time sense. Nothing like the Time Lords had, but because Skales weren’t also telepathic they couldn’t protect their children with mental barriers. Adult Skales develop rudimentary ones given time, but their infants have nothing.” He turned to Rose. “Another advantage that Time Lords had was that because looms created children that were neurologically fully developed, they were able to maintain their own mental barriers right from their looming.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Really? You’re gonna go off on how superior Time Lords are now?”

He turned back to Jackie. “A Gworatimian swarm could sense a being with the right frequency brainwave from millions of miles away. And they’d drain their victims of thought and energy in minutes, leaving them shells of themselves.”

Rose cradled the baby closer to her chest. “Doctor, enough!”

“Sorry.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “I thought since Skale was destroyed during the war...but it seems that the Skales didn’t all die out. They must have found refuge somewhere that my future self ran into them.”

“Whotcha goin’ on about? Future self?”

“A future me brought her back in time to this me and Rose and asked us to watch her while he dealt with the swarm.”

Jackie rubbed her temples. “You did what now?”

The newborn chose that moment to start crying again. “Mum, please, we can finish this later, but right now we need help. We don’t know what she wants and we don’t know what she needs and we don’t have anything for her and-”

“Blimey. Fine, now I believe you. ‘Cos only that daft alien would think to drop off a baby for babysittin’ with absolutely nothin’ to take care of her.”

“Oi! It must’ve been a very delicate and sudden situa-”

“Please,” Jackie groaned. “It’s a good thing you came here, sweetheart. I’ll be back in a tick. Don’t go swanin’ off before I get back.” She opened the front door and disappeared into the hallway.

“Can you believe your mother?” He rubbed his reddened cheek.

Rose raised the crying baby to her shoulder and swayed gently with her around the small living room, while trying to hide a smile. “Well, it’s true. You didn’t bring us anything but a baby wrapped in three blankets and the nappy she was wearing.”

His eyes grew round and he placed his hands over his hearts. “Et tu, Tyler. Obviously I was in a bit of a rush.”

Rose’s tongue peeked out the side of her smile. “Least Mum doesn’t think she’s ours anymore. Can you imagine?”

“Ah…” The Doctor’s gaze dropped to the red mottled face of the tiny baby and his hearts twinged. _To have that kind of life…_ “Er, right. Yeah, that’s a relief. Wouldn’t want her to get the wrong idea about us. Well, more than she already had.” _STOP TALKING, idiot!_ He gave a nervous laugh and shoved his hands in his pockets.

Rose mentally kicked herself. _Way to go, Rose. Bringin’ that up. Could you be any more stupid?_

He noticed her drop her eyes to the carpet and a faint blush on her cheeks. _Stupid, stupid, Doctor._

The door opened and Jackie entered with a bottle of formula, several clean nappies, and a small package of wipes.

Rose stared at her mother. “You’ve been gone two minutes. Where’d you-”

“Ellie down in 44 watches her grandson three days a week.” Jackie handed the Doctor the formula. “Make yourself useful an’ heat this up will ya?”

The Doctor took the sonic from his pocket and pressed it against the bottle.

Jackie took the fussing baby from Rose and cooed at her sweetly while she laid her on the rug. “Now there, sweetheart. Bet you want a nice clean nappy and then somethin’ to eat, yeah?” Jackie glanced up at the Doctor and Rose. “You two better pay attention if you plan on doing this the next time. “

Rose kneeled next to her mum and watched her carefully. 

Jackie shook her head and addressed the baby. “You jus’ leave it to me, sweetheart.” Quick as flash, Jackie had the baby cleaned and fitted with a new nappie. The Doctor looked on gobsmacked. “When was the last time she ate?”

Rose and the Doctor looked at each other. “Erm…”

“Not since we’ve had her.”

“And that's been 1 hour 37 mins, so presumably before that.”

Jackie clucked and bundled the baby up in her arms. “Do you hear them? Useless.” Jackie settled herself on the loveseat and took the bottle from the Doctor, testing the temperature on her wrist before feeding the little girl. “Thankfully you have Nana Jackie to take care of you.”

Rose hissed, “Mum!”

“What?”

“You’re not...we don’t get to keep her.”

“What’s that got to do with anything? She’s just a helpless little thing and right now we’re who she’s got. So who’s to say I can’t be her Nana Jackie while you’ve got her?”

Rose stood chewing her lip and darting glances at the Doctor, with his hands in his pockets and seemingly lost to his own thoughts. He looked up and was surprised to see Rose watching him. He grinned cheerfully. Rose’s stomach dropped at his usual deflection.

“Your mother’s right.”

Rose jaw dropped. “Say that again?”

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. “I mean, it’s not like the baby will remember if Jackie calls herself ‘Jackie’ or ‘Nana.’ There’s no harm in it.”

Jackie put the corner of a throw over her shoulder and lifted the baby upright to burp her. She smirked at her daughter and the Doctor and said, “Or you two ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad.’” Rose spun to face her mother and missed the moment of absolute longing on the Doctor’s face. Jackie, however, didn’t miss a thing. Before Rose could get a word out, Jackie was instructing them, “She’ll be good for a few hours now, but you really need to go run down to the shops and pick up some essentials. I’ll watch her ‘til you get back.”

“Mum…”

“She’ll need formula, bottles and teats, baby-grows, nappies, wipes, powder and ointment, a car seat-”

“A car seat?”

“I assume she’s gonna be traveling with you in that box of his. It’ll be safest if she’s in a car seat. Also, some toys, burp cloths, bibs, a changing mat, a cot-”

“Mum!”

“She’s gotta sleep somewhere, Rose.”

“Thanks, Jackie. I’ve got a cot on the TARDIS already. Come on, Rose, let’s go.” He dragged her from the flat before she could protest. Jackie’s laugh followed them out into the hallway.

\---

Two weeks later, Jackie was sitting on her couch watching EastEnders when the faint outline of a blue box began materializing in her living room. 

She folded her arms across her chest as the Doctor made his way through the door. 

“What did I say about parkin’ your box in my-” Jackie raised and eyebrow when Rose walked out pushing a pram. “Oh! Still got 'er then?”

Rose sighed. “Yeah.”

The Doctor used Jackie’s distraction to pop into the kitchen. 

“He better not eat all the jammie dodgers, I just did the shopping yesterday!”

“Hey, Doctor, Mum said she bought you jammie dodgers!”

“Rose!”

From the other room, they could hear the Doctor yell, “Brilliant!”

Rose yelled, “Make us a cuppa too, while you’re in there!”

Rose took the baby out of the pram and sat down next to her mum. Jackie smiled at the intensity of the baby’s concentration when she looked up at Rose. ”You used to look at me like that. Like I was your whole world.”

Rose reached over and squeezed her mum’s hand. “The Doctor says she’s brilliant and soakin’ everything up. He can even talk with her now.”

“He’d talk to a rabbit in the forest that one.”

“No. I mean he speaks baby, so he knows what she’s wantin’ when she wants it. Hardly ever cries anymore.”

“Well, that’s a handy skill for a parent.” Rose frowned at Jackie. “And don't you tell him I said that.”

Rose bit back a grin. “Oh no, can't have the Doctor knowing you find him at all impressive.”

“Course not. He’s got a big enough head as it is.” Jackie ran her thumb over the baby soft cheek. “So what’ve you been callin’ her?”

“Mostly ‘baby’ or ‘sweetheart.’”

“I meant for a proper name.”

“I’m not gonna rename her.”

“Well, if she’s got one, what is it?”

“How should I know. The Doctor...the future Doctor, the one that dropped her off, never said. But her parents must’ve named her, even if we don’t know what it is.”

“An’ when’s he gonna come back for her?” 

Rose bit her lip. “The Doctor thinks any day now.” 

“What if himself is wrong? Remember 12 hours - 12 months, Rose? What if the future one thinks it’s been 2 weeks an’ when he finally gets back it’s been 2 years? You can’t get by with calling her ‘sweetheart’ and ‘baby’ for two bleedin’ years.” 

“It’s not going to be two years.” 

“It’s already been two weeks! When are you going to consider that maybe she needs a proper name?” 

Rose sighed and stared down at the baby. She began to fuss and Jackie scooped her up from her daughter. 

“There, there, darling. I know you’re just wantin’ to belt’ out a lovely little melody, but- Oh, Rose, what do you think of the name Melody?”

“Mum, stop it.”

“Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist.”

“Please, that’s...just don’t.”

The Doctor strode into the room with two piping hot mugs of tea and a warmed bottle. “She getting hungry, Jackie?” He looked over Jackie’s shoulder and grinned. “Ah, is it time for someone’s mid-morning snack?” The Doctor put the mugs on the coffee table with the bottle and took the baby from Jackie. “You ladies enjoy your tea, and I’ll take this little one back to the kitchen for her feeding.” He grabbed the bottle and had the teat between her lips before he even made it through the door.

“He’s better at that than I imagined.” Jackie offered Rose a cuppa as she sat beside her on the couch and noticed her frown. “What’s the matter, love?”

“I have to remember that she's not mine and I don't get to keep her. I can’t give her a name and then expect to be able to let her go.” Her eyes filled with tears and Jackie put the tea on the table before drawing Rose into her arms. She buried her head in her mum's neck and began to cry. “I...I just love her already. So much. And I don't know how ’m I gonna give her up.”

Jackie rubbed Rose’s back. “We do what's best for our children whether they’re biological or not. That’s what bein’ a parent is.”

“It's gonna hurt.” Rose took a shaky breath. 

“Being a mum hurts, sweetheart.” Jackie kissed Rose on the side of the head and sat back. “You bring home this perfect little miracle from the hospital or wherever and you’re her whole world. And then one day you wake up and she just doesn’t need you as much as she did the day before. She wants to feed herself even though she can barely get the spoon in her mouth. She wants to pick out her own clothes even though they don’t match. She pulls away one little step at a time, fights for her independence. Needs you a bit less each day. Stops telling you everything thing that happened in her day. Starts spending more time with friends and then boyfriends and then a mad alien in a blue box.”

“Mum…”

“And then one day you realize your little baby is grown and has her own life and you’re on the outside looking in. You might get a call or a visit once in a while, but it’s not the same and you don’t know where the time went.” Jackie wiped tears from her eyes. “Each baby step away is like a little dagger to the heart, but you take hope in the fact that she knows you love her more ‘an anything and will do everything you can for her. ‘Cos she’ll always be your baby at heart.” 

“Oh, Mum.” Rose grabbed her mum’s hand. “You know I love you too, yeah?”

“I know, Rose. An’ I love the woman you’ve become. I do. I’m not sayin’ that.” The two women embraced for a few moments, before Jackie leaned back and looked solemnly at her daughter. “But I want to say one more thing, and then I’ll leave off.”

Rose worried her lip, but nodded. 

“After your father died, I...I went a little outta my head. I was so afraid of living without him and imagining all these ways I could lose you too. Was convinced I would.”

Rose opened her mouth to respond, but Jackie cut her off.

“No, let me say it. I’m not proud of it, an’ thankfully it didn’t last long. You were so young, and when I tried to distance myself, you got clingy. The more clingy you got, the harder I tried to pull away.”

“What changed?”

“Your nan. She set me straight. Made me see what I was doin’ it wasn’t fair to you. Puttin’ walls around my heart wasn’t gonna stop me from getting hurt. Was doin’ the opposite. Babies need unconditional love. But they give it back. Lovin’ you healed me after your father’s death.”

Rose sniffled and tried to hold back her tears.

“I know it’s not fair, sweetheart. You didn’t ask to be in this position, but neither did she. And that Doctor in the future, maybe he knew something. Maybe you’re what's best for her right now. Let me ask you something. You said you already love her…”

“Yeah.”

“Well, is it really going to hurt less if you pretend not to? Losing her is going to hurt, do you want to have regrets that you held back? Loving someone with your whole heart is never a waste. Even if it breaks your heart.”

Rose sat quietly pondering what her mother said, when the Doctor entered in a flurry of activity. “Ready to go? Oh, er, am I interrupting?”

Jackie patted Rose’s hand. “No, just finishing our catch up. I’ll let you two get on.”

Jackie stood and pulled the Doctor into a hug, kissed the baby, and turned to Rose. “Don’t be strangers.”

Rose hugged her mum. “Of course not. We’ll be back for another visit soon. Maybe you could make your shepherd’s pie and we could have a proper sit down.”

Jackie’s eyes widened. “Really?”

Rose glanced at the Doctor whose eyes were wide in surprise. “Right, Doctor?”

He snapped his jaw close. “Er, yeah, don’t see why not. We’ll be back in a couple of weeks.”

Rose gave her mum one last squeeze before grabbing the pram and following the Doctor into the TARDIS.

After setting the TARDIS into the time vortex, he turned to Rose. “What was all that about dinner with your mum?”

“She’s lonely and I...I don't know...” Rose put her hands on her hips with a scowl. “I should make time to have dinner with her every once in a while.”

The Doctor stepped back, eyes wide.. “No, I, er, quite right.”

Rose swallowed thickly. “I...there’s somethin’ I wanted to talk to you about.”

“Oh, eh, okay.”

“I'm gonna start calling the baby ‘Melody.’”

The Doctor looked down at the sleepy bundle in his arms and then back to Rose. “You...what?”

“Mum came up with it and I think it's a beautiful name.”

“But-”

“We can't go on calling her ‘baby’ indefinitely. She needs a name.”

“But she could leave any day now.”

Rose nodded. “She could, and then she can go back to her parents and they can call her by whatever name they gave her, but until she does, I’m callin’ her ‘Melody.’”

“Oh...” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. 

“Don't you like it?”

“No. Yes. It's a lovely name, but what's this all about?”

“I know I won’t get to keep her, but she needs a mum. An’ that's what I’m gonna be to her while she’s here. She needs someone to love her. And I do. I can't help how I feel. And I want her to know how much, even if it hurts at the end.”

The Doctor looked away from Rose. 

Rose sighed. “I’m sorry, Doctor.”

He looked at her in surprise. “What for?”

“I...I know this is difficult for you and I never really considered things from your point of view...regarding us. You told me about the curse of the Time Lords an’ all, but I just kept seein’ it from my side. Like it was some sort of test. Wasn’t I worth it to you and all that.”

“Rose, of course you’re-”

“No. I mean, I get it now. I really do. I didn’t take your feelings...your hearts into consideration, which...which was selfish of me.”

“Rose-”

“And I didn’t even realize it until I did the same thing with Melody. Convinced myself it would be easier, if I held back a little piece of my heart. And I just want you to know that I understand and I’m not gonna press you anymore. I'm gonna respect your decision.”

“What do you mean? You’ve not-”

“Please. I know I haven’t always made it easy for you. An’ it might’ve been a bit intentional on my part. But I’ll ease back on the flirting like the huggin’ an’ cuddling an’ stuff.”

The Doctor shook his head. “No, I don't-”

“Let me finish. I'm not saying I don't still want-” She took a deep breath and continued, “Just the ball’s in your court now.”

“Rose, I…”

Rose tilted her head and waited. 

“You know how important you are to me, right?”

Rose met the Doctor’s searching gaze and could see the intensity in his eyes. She knew he cared for her, though she didn’t quite know how deeply that care went. She nodded anyway.

“It's not that I don't want...in fact I want more than anything…I just, I don't know how I'll…I can’t lose you, but...” The Doctor shifted Melody in his arms and ran a hand through his hair.

Rose stepped closer to the Doctor and put her hand on his arm. “I’m never not gonna be your best mate. So if that’s all you can be then...then that’s what we’ll be, but I...” Rose closed her eyes and took a deep breath before looking once more at the man who was her everything. “I love you.” She watched as a million emotions ran over the Doctor’s features - surprise, elation, longing, hope, fear. “Just thought you should know. That’s what’s in my heart. When you figure out what it is you want - whether it is exactly what we have right now or...more, you know where to find me. I promise, I'm not goin’ anywhere.”

He released the breath he was holding. “You’ll be the first to know.”

Rose gave him a small smile and went to grab Melody, but the Doctor pulled back. “I'll watch her for a bit. If you don't mind...Mum?”

Her smile widened and she blushed. “Yeah, okay. I'm gonna make myself a cuppa and then maybe watch a movie.”

The Doctor nodded. “I’ll meet you in the media room in a few.”

He watched Rose leave the room with a pang to his hearts. _What’d I do to deserve her?_ He scoffed at himself. _Nothing. ‘Cos I don’t deserve her._

He shook his head and smiled at the baby. “Hello there, Melody.” The baby cooed up at him. “Oh, you like your new name do you? It meets with your approval? Rose said...fine, your _mum_ said your nan picked it out...We don’t ever tell Jackie that, but yes, your nan can be rather wonderful. Raised your mum all on her own. Did you know that? You can call me ‘Doctor’ you know...but that’s my name...awww come on ‘Not-Mum’ is-” Melody started to whimper. “Okay, ‘Not-Mum’ it is. Please stop, sweetheart. There, there...You wanna go find your mummy?” 

The Doctor and Melody left the console room and headed for the media room. “I know that Mum is soft and smells good and...I never said she wasn’t!...She does give the best hugs...I can’t imagine...that’s the issue...Oi! Well, that’s just rude.” The Doctor sighed. “I know I’m being an idiot. But-” He looked down at Melody in surprise. “You’re very wise for 2 weeks old. Has anyone ever told you that?” He laughed at her response.

The Doctor plopped down on the sofa next to Rose and passed the baby off to her. He kissed the side of her head and swung his arm around her shoulder. Rose stared at him in shock and his grin widened.

“Did you just kiss me?”

“Yup.”

“But I thought we decided-”

“You decided that you were going to withhold affection until I got my act together, not me.”

“Doctor..."

He released a deep breath. “This is me getting my act together.”

Rose raised her eyebrow. “I’ve been gone all of five minutes. You can't possibly have just change your mind in-”

“Rose...I want this. I want to help you raise Melody for as long as we have her. I want your hand in mine while we explore the universe. I want to _be_ with you.”

“And you decided just like that.” Rose clicked her fingers. 

“I've always wanted that. That hasn't changed.”

“And you're suddenly okay with...with me withe-”

“Don't. Please. I’ll never be okay with…that.” The Doctor snuggled against Rose. “But Melody reminded me that you smell good and give excellent hugs.”

Rose snorted and the Doctor could hear the humor in her voice when she said, “Melody, huh?”

“Mmhmm. She’s brilliant, our daughter.” Rose gasped. “She reminded me that I never want to be without them, even for a day.”

Rose turned her head away from the Doctor. “I didn’t mean to pressure you-”

He cupped her chin and turned her back to face him. “You didn’t. Little madam even called me an idiot, which I think she must’ve picked up from your mum.”

Rose tongue poked out the side of her smile. “That so?”

“Mmhmm. Said I’ve been an idiot for squandering what time we do have.”

She worried her lip, but couldn’t drop her gaze away from the Doctor’s intense stare.

“Rose, this life we live, it’s dangerous. I could lose you well before your time, an’ the thing is...” He took a deep breath. “You could lose me, too. Would have done, if it had been up to me back on Satellite Five. It’s both of us that are taking a chance. Not just me. You’re so much braver than I am.”

“I'm not.”

“You are. And the thing is nobody knows what the future brings, so if it’s all the same to you, I’d like my future to have as many Rose Tyler hugs as can fit in it.”

“Yeah?”

He lifted his free hand to her cheek and she nuzzled against it. “Yes. No regrets, Rose.”

“Erm…” Rose bit her lip. “So is it just hugs we’re discussin’?”

The tips of the Doctor’s ears turned red and he dropped his hand to tickle Melody. “M-” He cleared his throat. “I’d be amenable to more. If maybe you wanted...”

Rose shifted her body to better face him. “I’m not playing this game anymore, Doctor. You know what I want. What is that _you_ want?”

His breath left him in a rush. “Everything. I want everything.”

Rose leaned forward and kissed him gently on the lips. His eyes fluttered closed and he made a soft humming sound in the back of his throat. 

When she pulled back, she asked, “That okay?”

He nodded shakily. Rose snuggled back into his side and the TARDIS started playing _The Muppet Movie_ for them.


	3. Chapter 3

Jackie had just finished setting the table when she heard the sound of the TARDIS materializing in Rose’s old bedroom. The Doctor stepped into the lounge carrying Melody against his chest and Rose was laughing at something that he’d said. 

Jackie’s breath caught. She had never seen her daughter so happy and it was all thanks to that daft alien and the little girl he’d brought into their lives. Jackie could only pray that when they had to give the little girl back, the Doctor would help Rose get through it. And maybe one day, they’d have one of their own.

Rose waved and headed for the kitchen. “Hey, Mum. I’ll be right back.” She threw a grin over her shoulder and winked at the Doctor. His eyes softened and Jackie could see his love for Rose plain as day. She suspected she was worrying for nothing. If there is one thing she trusted, it was that the Doctor would always take care of Rose. She wiped at her eyes and plastered on her own smile. She cooed at Melody. “Oh, look how big she’s got. How old is she now?”

The Doctor lifted little Melody out of the carrier and handed her to Jackie. “17 weeks, 4 days, and completely brilliant. I'm sure she’ll be an early talker. She’s quite the babbler, she is.”

Jackie snorted. “Gets that from you.”

“Jackie…” The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. 

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Just meant that babies mimic an’ if she’s babbling up a storm, it's because she’s imitatin’ you, ya plum. You could talk for England you could.”

“Oh, right.” The smile that broke out over the Doctor’s face tugged at Jackie’s heart. “Suppose she is.”

“Still callin’ you ‘Not-Mum?’”

He released a weary sigh. “Yeah. I think she’s doing it on purpose at this point.”

Jackie kissed Melody’s cheek. “Speakin’ of, where’d your mummy get to? Rose!”

Rose came out of the kitchen with three mugs of tea. “Sorry, Mum.” She pecked her mother on the cheek. “I made us cuppas.” Rose put the tea down on the coffee table and went to take the baby from Jackie. “Time for her feeding.”

Jackie held Melody tighter. “Oh, let me, Rose.”

Rose pulled a baby bottle out of the Doctor’s coat pocket. He warmed it up with the sonic and handed it to Jackie. “All yours.” 

Rose picked up two of the mugs and handed one to the Doctor. He opened his arm to her and she snuggled into his side resting her head on his shoulder. 

Jackie glanced at the two of them. “So you two got yourselves sorted then?”

“Mum!”  
“Yup!”

Rose looked at the Doctor in surprise, but it turned quickly to joy, and she nodded at her mum. “Yeah. We’re takin’ it slow, but...we’re officially together now.” Jackie noticed Rose’s light blush immediately. 

“Well, if you two ever want a date night, I’m more than happy to watched her for you.”

Rose sat up. “What?”

“You heard me. I bet you two haven’t spent any time together, just the two of you.” 

The Doctor tugged his ear. “Well, not…I mean when Melody’s napping or sleeping, but-”

“It’s the key to a healthy relationship.”

“When did you turn into ‘Ask Irma?’”

“Oh, hush. Bev’s got a subscription to _Glamour_. But it’s true. I remember what it was like, bein’ in a new relationship.”

The Doctor snorted. “What all of last year?”

Jackie narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

Rose swatted his chest. “Doctor! Rude.”

He rubbed the back of his neck. “Sorry, Jackie. How is Howard?”

“Still asking about his dressing gown.”

“Oh, erm, I’ll buy him a new one.”

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Nah. Was just kidding. I’m not seeing Howard anymore.”

Rose sat up in surprise. “Mum, you never said anything. What happened?”

“Nothing, sweetheart. Just one of those things.”

“Are-”

“Would you look at that? There’s still an hour ‘til dinner’s ready.” Jackie stood with the baby and began rubbing her back. “Why don’t the two of you go off on that date now?”

Rose looked at her mother in concern. “Now?”

“This little one’ll be ready for a nap soon and I don’t need that…” She nodded in the Doctor’s direction. “...one underfoot while I try an’ get everything on the table. You just make sure you get back in time. One hour, not next year.”

The Doctor whined, “It was one time.”

“All I’m saying is there better not be a second time.”

“There won’t be, Jackie.”

“Good.” Jackie nodded and Rose stared at her mother with her mouth hanging open. Jackie’s eyes narrowed at her daughter. “What?”

Rose shrugged. “Nothin’ just didn’t think you’d be that quick to believe ‘im is all.”

“Well, the last couple of months he’s been spot on in getting you here exactly when you said. An’ besides you’re the one that said it was the ship more ‘an anything. Would that crazy box do that to you two or Mel?”

“No. She wouldn’t.” She looked at the Doctor in anticipation and bit her lip. “You really want us to go now? It wasn’t just to stop me from prying about-” 

Jackie sighed. “Just get back by dinner before I change my mind.”

“Thanks Mum!“ Rose hugged her mother and then rushed toward the TARDIS dragging the Doctor behind her.

\--

The Doctor tapped his sock covered foot on the thin bench and let out a weary sigh. He shifted but his shackled wrist didn’t allow for too much movement. He pulled his knee closer and once again thought about all the ways he’d mucked up his and Rose’s first date. Okay, well, maybe it wasn’t their first date, since he’d been pretty much wooing her since they’d met. First official date as a proper couple. Well. It wasn’t even that as they’d been tons of places with Melody these past few months. First official date as a proper couple without a 17-week old chaperone. There. That’s what he’d ruined. He’d wanted to impress her and instead-

The slide of his cell door had the Doctor looking over his shoulder. “Rose!”

Rose leaned against the opening with her arms crossed and her lips twitching. She took in his slightly rumpled form. He was shoeless, tieless, coat and jacketless. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to his elbows and a thick, black-metal band around one of his wrists was tethered to the wall by an equally thick, black-metal chain. “You jus’ had to lick it.”

The Doctor stood up and faced her. He took a step forward. “How’d-” The chain attached to his arm pulled taut and he looked down as if he’d forgotten it was there.

Rose sighed and moved into the cell. She pulled the Doctor’s sonic out of her back pocket and opened the shackles to free him. He picked her up and lifted her off her feet with a big hug. Her laughter had him grinning. “Put me down, ya plum, we’ve gotta go.”

“But how?” The Doctor glanced nervously toward the corridor where he could just now see a guard standing sentinel. 

“I negotiated your release.” Rose pointed down and wiggled her toes - her toes which he could see moving, because she also had shoeless feet.

“What? Where’re your shoes?”

Rose rolled her eyes. “Luckily on this planet rubber soles are a hot commodity. Between mine and yours, I-”

He squeaked, “My chucks?”

“Like you don’t have 37 pairs of ‘em in all different colors sittin’ in the wardrobe room, 12 of which are identical to the ones I used to get you released. From prison.”

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck “Right, yes, of course, molto bene.” He placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her on the cheek. “Thank you. Really.”

Her heart skipped a beat at his crooked little grin. She laced their fingers together and led him from the cell. “At least I was able to get your coat and jacket back.” 

The Doctor noticed them folded up in the guard’s arms and he grabbed his coat excitedly. “Top banana!” He shook it out and slipped his arms into it. “I love this coat. Did I ever tell you Janis Joplin gave me this coat?” The Doctor swung his arm over Rose’s shoulder and pulled her close. She shook her head and took his jacket from the guard as the Doctor started leading her down the hallway and out of the building. “It was 1969 in a tiny little town in upstate New York. White Lake, I think. Janis was organizing a game of poker in the lobby of a little ramshackle hotel and they needed another player.”

“An’ what were you doin’ in at a hotel in White Lake, New York?”

“Woodstock! I, er, just landed a few miles off course is all.”

Rose snorted. “That sounds about right.”

“Oi!”

“So poker…” Rose smiled with a hint of tongue poking out of the corner of her mouth. His eyes zeroed in on it. 

The Doctor blinked a few times. “Huh?”

Rose cuddled into the Doctor’s side. “You were tellin’ me about how you got your coat.”

“Oh! Right. So, the TARDIS got the coordinates a little wrong for-”

“The TARDIS, huh?”

“The _TARDIS_ got the coordinates wrong for Woodstock and I walked into this hotel where I could hear music playing. On a long couch in reception were three blokes playing guitars.” The Doctor rubbed his chin. “Not sure were Neil Young was.”

“Neil Young?”

“Hmm? Oh, he’d joined the band by then, but I only saw David, Stephen, and Graham.” At Rose’s blank look he added, “Crosby, Stills, and Nash.”

“Crosby, Stills, and Nash were playing a live concert at the hotel where you played poker with Janis Joplin?”

“Well, they weren’t performing so much as...practicing, or, er, jamming. Grooving?” 

She laughed. “Only you, Doctor.”

“Anyway, in I walk and immediately Janis asks if I know how to play poker. I mean can you imagine, me not knowing how to-”

“Doctor.”

“So I join the game, but she looks at me and tells me she wasn’t drunk enough to deal with my outfit.”

“Your outfit?”

“It was my sixth incarnation and my style was a little...erm, brighter, shall we say?”

Rose slowed, the Doctor could almost see the wheels of her mind turning as she made connections, and then she bent over laughing. “The...the patchwork jacket...in the wardrobe room! You were wearing that weren’t you?”

The Doctor crossed his arms and pouted. “It’s not that funny.”

Rose wiped tears from her eyes. “She made you cover up didn’t she?”

The Doctor nodded once. And Rose broke out into giggles again.

“Rose!”

“Sorry. Sorry, but-”

“Her guitarist, nice bloke, Sam something or other, gave Janis his coat and she made me put it on. Told me to keep it.”

Rose rubbed the Doctor’s arm and they continued on to the TARDIS. “Well, I’m glad she did. It’s a great coat.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

“Mmhmm.”

The walked in silence until they finally made it back to the timeship. “Let’s go back to Mum’s. I’m starving.”

“I feel terrible for ruining our date. Chips and try again?”

“Sure. Sounds great.”

The Doctor kissed Rose soundly and then dashed to the console and danced around it, taking them into the vortex.

\--

Rose and the Doctor meandered through sandstone arches and towering columns while munching on the hot, salty chips they’d picked up from their favorite chippy in the universe - the one right down the road from Jackie’s flat. He’d had to take them to 1974 so as not to run into her accidentally before enacting the rest of their date do-over. 

They were happy to walk in silence, simply enjoying each other’s presence, and looking up at the soaring rock formations all around them.

The Doctor happily popped a greasy, fried potato into his mouth. “How’s this for a redo?”

Rose’s gaze narrowed in on the large, stingray-like creatures flying through the air above them. “You sure we’re not gonna have to make a run for it?”

“Nah, they’re not interested in us. They only eat bugs. Well, I say ‘bugs,’ but I really mean…,” the Doctor trailed off as he looked at Rose, distracted by the play of yellow, orange, and pink light over her face. It took his breath away, how stunning she was, eclipsing even the sunset that had just begun painting the sky. Really that was the reason he’d brought her here - known to have the most beautiful sunsets in the galaxy - and yet it paled in comparison to her.

Rose stopped and, seeing him slack-jawed, waited. “Bugs,” she prompted.

The Doctor snagged the last chip and took the empty paper cone from Rose’s hand, crumpling it and shoving it into his pocket.

“Oi!”

He rested his hands on her shoulders and peered intently into her eyes. “You know I love you, right?”

Her eyes grew round and she opened her mouth to answer, but the words were stuck in her throat.

“Rose?”

“Y-yeah, I know. I mean, you show me in so many ways. Everyday. It’s just sometimes I’d convinced myself- But I did...do know. Have to say...it’s incredibly nice to hear, though.”

“I love you,” and with that pronouncement, he gently cupped the back of her head and slowly lowered his lips to hers. She sighed into his mouth. After a few moments he pulled away and confessed, “Have done for a long time.”

She blinked at him a few times. “I love you, too.” A soft smile spread over her lips. “I have since about, oh, ‘forget me, Rose Tyler,’” she imitated his old accent. 

“What?”

Her smile widened. “You know how to make an impression on a girl.”

“But you turned me down, the first time I asked you to come with me.”

“Not because I didn’t want to. I was just afraid by how much I _did_ want to. I regretted saying, ‘no,’ immediately. Why do you think I ran to the TARDIS when you got back? I was so worried you’d disappear again.”

“I...I didn’t know.”

“I’m sorry.”

“No. No regrets. You did come with me, and that’s the important thing.” He took her hand and started walking back toward the TARDIS. “I never dreamed...after the war, I just never dreamed…”

She squeezed his hand. Just minutes ago, she’d felt so tiny walking in the shadows of the lofty cliffs that made up the majority of the planet’s surface, but with the Doctor’s love in her heart, she felt like she could soar among the gliding giants in the sky.

They stopped near the TARDIS and watched the last rays of the sun before it dropped below the horizon. He pushed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels. He exuded an air of nonchalance, but Rose knew him better than that. She watched as as he opened his mouth to ask her a question, but paused to take a deep breath. She affected the same casualness, and waited. She didn’t need to wait long. 

“How long are you going to stay with me?”

Rose glanced at him and when he swung his head to look at her, she smiled and replied, “Forever.”

His answering grin had her blushing. She pulled his hand from his pocket and entwined their fingers, running her thumb along his. 

“Then I’ll love you forever and a day.” He pulled her to his side and kissed her crown. 

The Doctor abruptly released her and pulled her into the TARDIS. 

Rose leaned back against the doors and watched as he frenziedly spun around the console to put them into the vortex. 

Rose pushed off the door and sauntered up to the Doctor. He quirked his eyebrow at her. 

She just smiled and ran her hand down his tie.

“I just _vowed_ to stay with you forever.”

The Doctor swallowed thickly and nodded. “Yeah.”

Rose lifted her hand to the back of his neck and played with the short hairs at his nape. “And you vowed to love me for just as long.”

His lips twitched. “I did. I will.”

“Yeah?”

He pulled her body closer to his. “Are...are those the vows you wanted to hear?” He could see the hope in her eyes and feel her single human heart pounding against his chest. “Because I do, Rose. I. Do.”

Rose took a shaky breath. “Y-you know what we do on Earth after vows like that?”

“What?”

“Seal it with a kiss.” She was pulling him down before she even finished her sentence.

As soon as their lips met, there was a burst of passion and a flurry of hands pulling at clothes. They stumbled out of the control room and the Doctor thanked the TARDIS for moving his room to right off the corridor. He pushed Rose against the door as he fumbled with the handle. Her hands were everywhere, distracting him. Weren’t humans supposed to only have two? She managed to pull off his tie, unbutton his oxford, unzip his trousers and have him in hand in the blink of an eye. 

He panted into her shoulder. What good was a respiratory bypass if it doesn’t kick in when he needs it? He moved one hand to her breast - the other was still trying to get the door open - and nibbled her neck. Finally, the door swung open and he grabbed Rose before she could tumble backwards. He swept her into his arms and kicked the door closed behind them. 

It was quite some time before they made it back to Jackie’s.

\--

Jackie looked Rose and the Doctor up and down when they got back to the flat and shook her head. 

The Doctor glanced at Rose and then back to Jackie. “What? We made it back on time. Didn't we?”

Jackie snorted. “Jus’ thought the two of you’d go out on a proper date somewhere like a movie or a museum. I shoulda figured.” 

Rose glanced from her mum to the Doctor and back again. “We did go on a date.”

Jackie snorted. The Doctor glared at her. “Who’s to say we didn’t?”

Jackie raised her eyebrow at her daughter.

“We did!”

“That why himself is wearin’ a different shirt and tie?”

“What? I...it's...we could've come across a jxploric spitting Helipontu and that’s why I needed to change.” The Doctor crossed his arms. 

Jackie handed Melody off to the Doctor. “Mmhmm. An’ is that how Rose got a hickey too?” 

Rose gasped and grabbed her neck while the Doctor sputtered, both of them blushing furiously.

“Hope you built up an appetite, dinner’s ready.”

\--

After dinner, Jackie walked with the Doctor, Rose, and Melody back to Rose’s old room where the TARDIS was parked. “Oh! I forgot. Look at what we practiced.” She got Melody’s attention from her place in the Doctor’s arms. She pointed at Rose. “Who’s that?”

The baby gurgled happily, and the Doctor smiled. “Mummy. Very good Melly Belly.” He looked at Jackie. “She’s been calling Rose, ‘Mum,’ since the beginning.” 

“Jus’ wait.” She pointed to herself. “And what’s my name?”

Melody babbled. The Doctor translated, “Nan. Well done, sweetheart.”

Jackie tapped the Doctor’s sleeve. “And who’s this?”

Melody giggled and the Doctor’s smile tightened. “Not-Mum.” She giggled again and the Doctor looked at Jackie in shock. “Dada. She said, ‘Dada!’”

The Doctor whooped and lifted Melody in the air. She squealed in delight and when he brought her back down, he gave her big, exaggerated kisses all over her face causing her to belly laugh.

The Doctor asked Jackie, “How?”

“I had a nice little chat with our girl.” 

“But how’d you know she would? You don’t speak baby.”

Jackie’s only response was a smug grin.

He impulsively wrapped Jackie in a one armed hug, Melody babbling between them, and whispered, “Thank you.”

When he pulled away, he had glassy eyes, but the brightest smile she’d ever seen on him.

Rose was fighting her own tears. And so was Jackie, truth be told.

“I expect to see you three back here next Sunday.”

Rose kissed her mum on the cheek. “Of course.”

The Doctor walked his little family into the TARDIS and Jackie stood watching until it faded away.


	4. Chapter 4

Rose leaned against the back of Jackie’s couch and hid her smile behind a steaming cuppa. The Doctor sat at the table next to Melody’s high chair and was trying to get her to eat sliced bananas or at the very least some banana flavored puff cereal. Their daughter though was more interested in sharing with her father - not that the Doctor was complaining too much. She brought another piece of banana up to his mouth and pressed it against his lips until he opened them. “Eeeeat. Yum.”

The Doctor chewed the banana. “Yummy, but Melody needs to eat too, not just Daddy.”

Melody squealed, “Nana! Good!”

The Doctor beamed at his little girl. “That’s right! Oh, Rose she’s brilliant. Bananas are good!”

The little girl slammed her fist onto the tray sending cereal and banana flying. “Nana! Nana! Good!”

“Mum!” Rose put her mug down and rushed to help her mother who was carrying a large box and several shopping bags into the flat.

“Nana!” Melody cried joyfully and clapped her hands.

Jackie put her bags on the table and kissed Melody on the top of her head. “How’s my sweet girl? Being good for mummy and daddy?” 

“Good. Nana. Good.”

The Doctor pouted. “Oh.”

“Mum, what’s all this?” Rose slid the box onto the table. 

“For Melody’s birthday.” Jackie 

Rose opened the lid and saw a large cake with ‘ _Happy 1st Birthday, Melody_ ’ written across the frosting. “This is huge. We don’t need such a big cake.”

“I may have invited a few people over for Melody’s birthday dinner.”

“Mum!”

Jackie looked through her purchases and picked up the majority of the bags. “Oh, Rose, it’s just a couple people. Melody only turns one once.”

“We discussed this.”

“I've got to get dinner started. That bag there has some decorations. Make yourself useful. I told everyone 3 o’clock.” And with that, Jackie swanned off into the kitchen.

Rose clenched her fists and counted to ten. The Doctor came up from behind and ran his hands down her arms. “It’ll be alright, Rose.”

She spun around. “How can you say that? You know it’s gonna be hard enough when...without other people knowing about her and asking questions.”

He sighed. “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

“How are you so okay with this?”

“I’m not. Not really. I know this is probably a huge mistake.” He ran his hand through his hair. “But there’s also a part of me that wants to stand on the rooftop and shout about how much I love you and Melody to anyone who’ll listen, and that’s the part that’s got me wanting to show off our amazing daughter to all of Jackie’s friends at her very own first birthday party.”

Rose’s heart skipped a beat. He told her in a million little ways everyday, but he didn't say the words often. So when he did, she cherished it. “Yeah?”

He drew her against him and his eyes darted to her lips. “Yes,” he said right before leaning down to kiss her.

Melody’s giggle had them separating and glancing at her. She had banana mush on her cheek and was stuffing cereal into her mouth. The Doctor laughed. “You want to decorate or get the messy madam cleaned up?”

“I’ll give her a bath. Think I’ll change too, while I'm at it.” 

Rose helped Melody finish eating and then lifted her out of the high chair. “Let’s go get you all clean, and then do you wanna wear that pretty dress Nana bought for you?”

“Peeek?”

“Yup. The pink one.”

Melody squealed happily and then shifted to look over Rose’s shoulder. She opened and closed her hand. “Bye bye, Da!”

The Doctor paused in his decorating and grinned widely. “I’ll see you soon, sweetie.”

Melody turned in Rose’s arms and started babbling away in baby talk.

The Doctor watched them disappear into Rose’s old room and he went back to hanging the birthday banner.

Just as he finished with the last strand of streamers, there was a knock on the door.

“I’ll get it!” Jackie rushed out of the kitchen, and called over her shoulder to him, “Oi! Make yourself useful and bring out the food.”

The Doctor grumbled, “Useful. What’s she think I’ve been doing the last hour,” but did as she asked. His eyebrows shot up when he saw the trays and trays of food in the kitchen. _A few people?_ He picked up two serving plates filled to the brim with hors d’oeuvres and brought them into the other room.

An older gentleman with a cane, the first to arrive, walked up to the Doctor and looked him up and down. “You Rose’s bloke?”

The Doctor rubbed the back of his neck and then stuck his hand out to shake. “Erm, yes. I’m the Doctor.”

The old man’s eyes narrowed. “Doctor, eh? And what are your intentions toward my grandniece?”

“I don’t know. Who’s your grandniece?”

“Rose. Are you gonna make an honest woman of her?”

“Honest? Rose doesn't generally lie about things. I mean there was that one time when we were on Castrollux, but really that was a matter of life and death and it was just a little fib-”

“Marriage, you plum.” The old man rolled his eyes so hard, the Doctor felt a bit of concern for him. “How did you pass your exams to become a doctor? You’re an idiot.”

“Oi!”

“Are you planning on marrying my little Rosie?”

“Oh. Eh, we sort of…well, erm, it’s just, uh…” His eyes darted around the room and landed on the door to the kitchen. “I’ve got to get the rest of the food for Jackie.” The Doctor brushed past the elderly man and took refuge away from prying relatives. He dreaded going back out there, so he grabbed a handful of nibbles and waited, listening for Rose. The number of voices that were coming from the lounge grew and grew, but he still didn't hear the only one he wanted. 

He grabbed another of the dwindling supply of puff pastry when the door swung open and Rose stuck her head in. “There you are.” 

She walked into the room and examined the trays of food on the countertop. “Why’re you hiding in here?” She popped a cheese straw in her mouth and watched the Doctor fidget. 

He looked everywhere but at her. “Er, there’s an older man with a cane out there…”

She let out a surprised laugh. “You’re hiding from Uncle Tony?”

The Doctor took a breath and nodded.

“And what’s he done that’s got you in here eatin’ all the nibbles?”

“He asked if I planned to marry you…”

“Ah.”

“I imagine he meant on Earth, in front of all your friends and family. Not that he said ‘on Earth,’ because really he probably doesn’t know that not on Earth is an option, but it was implied that he’d like to see you get married. And I doubt he’d count what we did on-”

“You done?”

The Doctor met her gaze. “I'm sure he’s not the only one who’s wondering.”

Rose took the Doctor’s hands. “Uncle Tony’s from a different generation. Don't let him bother you.”

“I'm not bothered! I just-”

“Of course not, but I'll stick close by and protect you from the pensioners asking uncomfortable questions all the same. Besides I’ll just have Mum tell him that we eloped when we were in Vegas.” 

“We’ve never been to Las Vegas. Well, the one in Nevada at any rate.”

Rose shook her head and grabbed a tray. “Come on, lover boy, grab the other tray.”

He blushed and squeaked, “What?”

Rose’s laughter drew him back to the party.

\--

“Well, I'm knackered.” Rose collapsed back onto the bed and tilted her head to look at the Doctor. He was already in his jimjams, with his sexy specs on, and was reading a ridiculously thick tome on some subject Rose had absolutely no interest in. 

“Melody give you any trouble?”

“Nope, she was just as tired, plus battling the sugar crash from the _two_ pieces of cake you fed her. She was asleep before I even closed the door.”

“Oh, good.” The Doctor went back to his book, but was distracted a few minutes later by Rose. By now, she’d normally be under the covers cuddled up to him, or instigating some other more pleasurable activities, but instead she was still laying with her feet dangling over the side of the bed, forehead scrunched in thought.

“Rose?”

“Hmm.”

“Is that something you want?”

She had his full attention now. “Is _what_ something I want?” 

“To get married.”

Her lip quirked. “Silly me, and here I thought I already was.”

“Well, we are in all the ways that matter, but we didn't have a wedding per se. There was no aisle or white dress. No friends or family to witness it.”

“We exchanged vows, made a commitment to each other. That’s enough for me.”

“Do...do you want a ring?”

Rose rolled onto her side to face the Doctor. “Is this about what Uncle Tony said earlier?”

“No, not really. I mean, he may have gotten me thinking about it, but I noticed all the subtle glances to your finger. A lot of people expected to see something there.”

“I don't care about what other people expect of us. I love what we have, our life. And you make me so, so happy. A stupid piece of paper or a bit of jewelry isn't gonna make me feel any differently.” Rose slid her hand into the Doctor’s.

“Oh.” The Doctor sounded almost disappointed. 

Rose lifted herself up and studied his face. “Wait. Doctor, is that something _you_ want?”

He scoffed. “No, course not. Time Lords didn’t wear outward signs of their marriages.”

“Okay...”

“But you’re not a Time Lord. You’re a human, and humans do wear symbols of their marriages. So I thought you might like a ring.”

“Humans exchange rings as symbols of their commitment to each other. I’d rather not wear one if it’s just for show or because it’s expected of me. If you want to exchange rings, that’s fine. I’d happily wear your ring, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I’d rather go without.” Rose shifted closer to the Doctor and snuggled against him.

He wrapped his arm around her and kissed the top of her head.

Rose ran her fingers over the lettering on the Doctor’s t-shirt and glanced at his face. “If Time Lords don’t wear any rings or things that like, do they do anything to commemorate their marriages?”

“Not really. Mostly they were political, so there would be a scroll or something that one might keep in the records room of the family home, but that’s about it.”

“No one ever married for love?”

“Not generally, no, perhaps affection. Time Lords didn’t do love.”

“You do love, and very well I might add, so you’ll forgive me if I have a hard time believing you’re the only Time Lord since the beginning of time to have ever felt the emotion. Even if you fought against it at first.”

A small smile pulled at his lips. “I suppose. My friend, Leela, married her husband for love.”

“See.”

“She was a human though. I...love marriages did happen, just very rarely. They...”

Rose waited for the Doctor to continue. 

He sighed. “They say that in the early days of Gallifrey, before the Curse of Pythia and the looms, when Rassilon first ruled over the Time Lords, that the practice of bonding was still in favor.”

“An’ what’s that?”

“Well, basically it was a way for two telepaths to tie their minds together. All Time Lords had a superficial connection to each other, allowed us to identify friends and family after regenerating. But a marriage bond created a deeper connection. Allowed for communication across distances and a clearer sense of the other in their minds at all times.”

“Are only telepaths capable of bonding?”

His eyes snapped to Rose. “What do you mean?”

“Would we be able to bond?”

“Rose, there’s a reason it fell out of favor. To open yourself like that to another person. To share everything you are, all your secrets and insecurities. It…”

Rose pulled out of his embrace and laid back onto her pillow. “Sorry. I just though since you brought it up, and it’s a part of Time Lord culture, you might have wanted to...with me.”

“With…? No! It’s not that I wouldn’t want that, but you don’t understand what it would mean for you. You don’t just try it out. It is an unbreakable bond. You’d tie yourself… My head isn’t a very nice place. I’ve lived a long time and not all of it was nice.”

“You think I don’t know that?”

“I’ve done and seen horrible things. I wiped out my own people! Do you know what I had to experience before I could bring myself to make that decision? I can’t protect you from that if we were to bond, and that’s if we can bond at all. I don’t know if it would even work with you being human.”

“I don’t want you to protect me from that. I want to share your burden. That’s what it means to love another person. I know we didn’t say traditional vows, but for better or worse, yeah? I won’t stop loving you because of what you’ve done in the past. I know what you did and I know it was an impossible choice. But you did what you always do - make the choices no one else will to save the universe. And I love you for that. More not less.”

“Rose.” Her name was ripped from his throat as he crushed her to him. 

He held her so tightly she couldn’t move - his head buried in her neck, breathing wetly. She ran her hands over his back and murmured gentle assurances to him.

Finally he pulled back and wiped his eyes. “Sorry.”

She caressed his cheek and kissed him lightly. “We don’t need to decide anything now. Or change anything ever, but know I’m open to it, okay? I know you didn’t bring it up for no reason.”

He closed his eyes and nodded. “Rose Tyler.”

“Love you, too.” 

Rose pulled the throw cover over the both of them and curled into his side. She was just drifting off when he asked, “So, eh, if you weren’t upset because of the whole wedding thing, what was it?”

“Hmm?”

“Earlier, when you got into bed. You looked...pensive.”

Rose groaned. “Leave it to you to distract me without knowing it and then remind me of what I wanted to forget.”

That pulled a little laugh from him. “What’s wrong?”

Rose bit her lip. “I’m worried. About you.”

“Me?”

“Future you. It’s been a year and we still have Melody. And don’t get me wrong, I am so thankful for every moment we get to spend with her. But I keep thinkin’ what if something happened to you and you can’t get back or…I don’t want to lose you.”

“I know the feeling. Don’t want to lose you either.” He pressed his lips to the side of her head. “Do you regret it?”

“What?”

“If something does happen to me in the future, well, we both said it could be either of us, but really I always thought it’d much more likely that I’d be losing you. Do you regret...” He gestured between them. “...this?”

Rose’s mouth fell open. “You still don’t get it. _I love you_ , though you make it incredibly difficult sometimes. If we had a thousand years together, I would still wish for more. It will never be long enough. And to answer your idiotic question, no. I don’t regret us, you big bloody prat.” Rose hit him with her pillow and sniffed. “Do you?”

“This last year, well really, the last two years, five months, seven days since I grabbed the hand of a frightened blonde in the basement of a department store and told her to run, have been the happiest I’ve ever been in all my lives. I could never regret a moment of it.”

“Yeah?”

“I cherish every moment we have together and in the words of this completely brilliant woman I once knew, can’t remember her name right now, it’s ‘better with two.’”

“Shut up.” She laughed and wacked him in the arm.

“Though we might have to consider updating that, ‘cos it’s pretty amazing with three. No matter what happens, Rose, I’ll always be a better man because of you.” 

“You make me better too.” 

“We just have to take things one day at a time and treasure the time we do have together.”

“Yes, and face our future as a team. We’re stronger together.”

The Doctor pulled his shirt over his head and yanked Rose on top of him. They both needed the reminder that regardless of the future, they still had the present.


	5. Chapter 5

Melody celebrated another birthday, and another, and then another, with no sign of the future Doctor.

The day after Melody’s 4th birthday, the Doctor took his family on a picnic to Aessith, a beautiful planet where faeries existed. Well, they weren't faeries exactly, but the inhabitants were petite humanoids with colorful skin tones that matched a set of gossamer wings. And if his daughter thought they were faeries, like from her favorite book, who was the Doctor to burst her bubble? Rose usually said, ‘the first in line,’ but not today. Not on her birthday trip.

Rose stretched out on the blanket and gave the Doctor a kiss. “Thank you for this. It’s gorgeous here.”

“Mmm. Yeah, it is. It’s a shame that in a hundred years the planet is mostly destroyed by a civil war.”

Melody clambered over them both and threw her arms around the Doctor’s neck. “Thank you, Daddy! When will we get to see the faeries?”

“Anything for my best girl. And, erm…” The Doctor looked around the empty park. “We’ll go into town to meet some locals after you finish eating your lunch.”

Rose wrapped her arms around the both of them and smirked. “I thought I was your best girl?”

The Doctor swallowed heavily and he darted a glance between Rose and Melody. “Oh, well, ah…”

Melody laughed and rolled her eyes. “Don’t be silly, Mummy. You’re not a girl.”

“I’m not? Well then, what am I?”

“You’re a grown up.”

The Doctor and Rose both laughed at her logic. “That’s true. My mistake.”

“Oh! Mummy, Daddy, look faeries! Can I go say, ‘hi?’” She pointed to spot over his shoulder and he turned to see an Aessithian man and woman walking along the footpath with a small toddler between them. The other family waved at them.

“I don’t see why not, but come straight back. No wandering off.”

“Okay.” She kissed each of her parents before scrambling off the blanket to introduce herself to the faery family.

The Doctor wrapped his arms around Rose and tugged her onto his lap. He growled in her ear, “You’re my best grown up,” and dropped kisses along her neck.

Rose giggled but let her head fall to the side to give him easier access. “Shut up. I was jus’ teasin.’”

“Always trying to get a rise out of me.” He pulled her more firmly onto his lap and ground himself against her bum. “But the secret’s out - it doesn’t take much.”

She patted the side of his face. “Was never much of a secret, dear. And behave yourself, we’re about to have company.”

The Doctor snapped his head toward a rapidly approaching Melody, who was dragging along her new friends, and pasted a bright smile on his face. “Hello.” He helped Rose up and then stood beside her with his hand extended. “I’m the Doctor and this is my wife, Rose. I see you’ve met our daughter, Melody.” 

The other man, a lovely shade of lavender, returned the handshake. “It is a pleasure, sir. I am Oswald, King of Aessinth.”

“Oh!” Rose quickly curtsied, knowing from experience that it was better safe than sorry when it came to royalty.

“No need for that, my dear. We don’t stand on ceremony.” The Queen reached out a pale blue hand to Rose, who was struck by the shining beauty of the other woman’s sapphire hair and matching eyes. She stood straight and proud, though only reached Rose’s shoulder. 

King Oswald, who stood at about the same height as Rose, introduced his family, “My wife, Queen Arabella, and our precious daughter, Princess Clarabelle.” 

The toddler rounded out the look of her family with her pink candy floss complexion, magenta hair and sparkling emerald green eyes.

“It’s lovely to meet you. I was jus’ telling my husband that you have a beautiful planet.” 

“Thank you. It’s not often we get off worlders anymore.”

“Really? But it’s so beautiful here. I’d think that you’d have loads of tourists.”

“We used to, but with the current political climate and our planet’s threat level at critical,” the king’s eyes narrowed slightly, “it is very unusual to see families visit at all.”

The Doctor and Rose looked nervously at each other and down to Melody. Rose pulled her closer to her side. The Doctor tugged at his ear. “Oh, er, I hadn’t realized. Not always the best at checking alerts before setting off on a trip.”

“You should really take your family and go.” The king eyes skittered around the clearing before whispering to the Doctor, “It’s not safe.”

Rose pointed to the princess. “Surely it can’t be that bad if you have your daughter out for a stroll?”

“It’s not by-” The king glanced over his shoulder, at a guard Rose hadn’t noticed before, and pasted on a false smile. “It is our duty to carry on normally for the sake of the people.”

When she examined the faces of the king and queen, she could clearly see signs of stress. “Yes, of course.” Nodding she began to clean up their picnic.

The Doctor picked up Melody into his arms. “Right, well, thank you for the warning. We wish you the best, but we’ll leave directly.”

The king and queen smiled brittlely and tightened their hold on their daughter’s hands. “It’s for the best, but please come back for a visit after all this passes.”

“We certainly will. Melody’s quiet enamored of it here.”

The Aessinthians smiled a genuine smile at that and looked in fondness at the outgoing little girl. “The girls can have a tea party.”

“Yes. Thanks again and it was lovely to meet you all.”

The Doctor grabbed Rose’s hand. “I’m so sorry. I checked that I had the right coordinates. I should have triple checked.”

“It’s fine, no harm done. We’ll just be more care-”

They had just approached the park’s exit when a blast rang out followed by a blood curdling scream. The Doctor knocked his family to the ground and threw himself on top of them while scanning the park. 

Rose struggled to pull herself from under him. 

“Rose, don’t look.”

“What happened?”

“The...the king…”

“Is he…?” Rose craned her neck to see.

The Doctor panted harshly in her ear. “Don’t look! We have to get Melody back to the TARDIS.”

“But what about the queen and Clarabelle? We have to help them.”

They heard a wail and a scream from the queen, “NO! NO, DON’T. PLEASE...SHE’S JUST A BABY. HELP! PLEASE!”

“Doctor, we have to help them.”

The Doctor’s eyes were wild. “Rose, please. I need you both safe.”

Rose firmly pressed her lips to the Doctor’s. “I’ll take Melody to the TARDIS, but see if there’s anything you can do for them.”

He sighed in relief and nodded. “Thank you.”

“Be careful though, yeah?”

“Always. You too.”

They shared another quick kiss, before Rose got to her feet with their daughter and briskly but cautiously made her way back to the TARDIS.

\--

Rose was pacing back and forth in front of the time rotor and chewing on her thumbnail. She debated going out after the Doctor, but they had a rule about leaving Melody alone in the timeship. Not that she liked leaving the Doctor alone when she knew there were bad people with weapons around either. 

_Five more minutes. I’ll give him five more minutes an’ then I’m goin’ after him._

She’d made three more circuits of the console room when the Doctor burst through the door clutching Clarabelle. Rose rushed over to him and he handed her the toddler.

“What ha- Where’s the queen?”

The Doctor paused briefly in his race around the console, features hardening, before shaking his head and continuing dematerialization. 

When they were safely in the vortex, he collapsed on the jumpseat. He had his head in his hands, elbows on his knees, and was breathing harshly. Rose sat down next to him, shifting Clarabelle in her arms so that she could rub the Doctor’s back. He didn’t often let people see him like this, didn’t often allow himself to break down like this, and Rose loved him even more that he trusted her enough with his heartsbreak.

“I...She…” He took a deep breath and met Rose’s gaze. “She begged me to take her and Clarabelle with us. I set off a smoke bomb. Got us all out of there and a bit of a head start. We were nearly here, when the rebels caught up to us. She gave herself up to them as a distraction so that I could get Clarabelle away.”

“What’s the plan?”

“Plan?”

“To rescue her.”

“Rose, she’s-” He glanced at Clarabelle. “I promised her, we’d take care of Clarabelle as if she was our own.”

Rose’s hand flew to her mouth and she clenched the young girl closer.

“I know it’s a big decision and we didn’t discuss it, but-”

“Of course, we will. There’s no question. I just...I can’t imagine. The poor darling, losing both her parents, and so young. How do we even…” 

“We love her, like we did with Melody. That’s all we can do. All any parent can do.”

Rose nodded. “We’ll have to restrict our travel to planets that’ll be accepting of her species. Oh god, Mum!”

“I’ll make her a shimmer for when we visit Earth and other xenophobic planets.”

“A shimmer?”

“It’s a sort of cloaking device. It’s used all over the galaxy by aliens trying to integrate into populations different from their own.” He studied her. “When she’s wearing it, people’ll see only a human toddler with dark hair and doe eyes, round little cheeks and a button nose. Her true form’ll be hidden.”

“Mum’s gonna freak.”

“Why? She’s been hounding us for another grandkid for ages.”

Rose rested her head on his shoulder and chuckled. “I don’t think adopting a faery princess was exactly what she had in mind.”

“Jackie’ll love her.”

“She will.” Rose stood and turned to the Doctor. “C’mon. We should explain what we can to Melody and set up her old cot for Clarabelle. I think both girls will enjoy the company.”

He wrapped his arms around Rose and their newest daughter. “I love you, Rose, so much. I don’t tell you nearly enough.”

His words and the love she could see shining in his eyes, brought tears to her own. “It’s all the more special when you do.”

\--

Melody and Clara were jumping up and down, completely unable to contain their excitement. “Hurry up, Nana!”

Jackie, the last one out of their little group, pulled the door to the flat closed behind her. “I’m coming. I’m coming. You girls ready?”

Melody and Clara nodded with huge smiles on their faces. “Yes!”

The girls had been begging their parents to go trick or treating for weeks, and they’d finally agreed to visit Jackie for Halloween. 

The Doctor had on his usual brown pinstriped suit, but Rose in the spirit of the holiday got dressed up in the pink satin 50’s dress she’d worn back when they met the Wire. Rose snagged Clara’s hand and trick or treat basket before she had a chance to run off. “Melody, no runnin’. We’re going all together.”

Melody turned and tapped her foot. “But you guys are so slow.”

Rose raised an eyebrow at the 6-year old. “We don’t have to go at all.” 

“Sorry, Mummy.” She sheepishly walked over and took Clara’s other hand.

Jackie glanced nervously at Clara who was without a shimmer for the first time on Earth, not counting the few times she’d been without in the safety of Jackie’s flat. “An’ it’s safe for her to be like that?”

The Doctor looked down at his little Aessithian princess in all her pink glory. “Safest night of the year for it. She looks like any other 4-year old in fancy dress.”

“Bloody good costume. She’s not gonna fly off is she?”

The Doctor rolled his eyes at his mother-in-law. “When have you ever seen Clara fly? Her wings are vestigial.”

“What?”

“Non-functioning. They just look beautiful. Don’t they darling?” He tickled Clara’s ribs causing her to giggle.

Melody dropped her sister’s hand and knocked on the first of Jackie’s neighbor’s doors. She was vibrating with excitement waiting for it to open.

A short, thin woman in 6-inch heels and leopard print, from head to toe, answered the door. 

“Trick or Treat!” Melody called out and glanced meaningfully at Clara.

“Trick or treat!” Clara held up her little jack-o-lantern bucket.

“Oh, and who do we have here? Is that Melody Tyler from next door?”

“Yes, Mrs. Clarke. And Clara.”

Mrs. Clarke’s eyes widened as she looked at the tiny faery. “That’s a lovely costume, dear.”

“I’m a faery princess.”

“I can see that. And you, Melody? What are you dressed as?”

Melody glanced down at her outfit and up at Mrs. Clarke, giving her the look that her mother normally described as ‘dribbled on your shirt.’ “I’m dressed as a human.”

“Didn’t you want to dress up for Halloween?”

“But I am dressed up. I’m not normally a h-” Rose nudged her and cleared her throat. “I mean, I’m dressed like my favorite character from Harry Potter. Hermione. She’s _also_ a human.” Melody gave the older woman her best smile and threw in a few eyelash flutters.

 _Oh, she learned that from Rose._ The Doctor choked on his laugh and turned it into a cough.

Mrs. Clarke darted a glance from Melody to the Doctor and frowned. “Oh. Okay.”

Melody’s eyes brightened. “See my scarf? It’s in Gryffindor colors because Hermione is a Gryffindor.”

“I thought she was a human?”

“She is. Gryffindor is just the name of the House she’s in at her school.”

“Ah.” Mrs. Clarke smiled at that.

Melody ran her eyes up and down the neighbor. “Why’re you dressed like a Hydraxian marpletorp?”

The other woman’s smile drooped. “A what?” 

Rose covered Melody’s mouth with her hand. “It’s just a character from a tv show she watches.”

She looked down at her outfit. “I’m supposed to be Peg Bundy.”

The Doctor nodded. “Oh, yes. Molto bene. You look just like...like, er, Meg, ah, Peg Bundy. Well done.” He turned to Rose. “Is Peg Bundy a Hydraxian marpletorp because really the resemblance is uncanny?”

“Doctor.”

Melody, still with Rose’s hand over her mouth, lifted her plastic bucket once again toward Mrs. Clarke, Clara following suit. The woman deposited chocolates in both girls’ pumpkins and closed the door mumbling to herself.

The girls turned to their mother. “Look, Mummy, chocolate. Trick or treating is brilliant!”

Rose rubbed the back of her neck and gave a small smile to both her daughters.

Jackie stood gaping at her daughter. “Blimey, Rose. An’ that was just the first one.”

“It’s gonna be a long night.” With a shake of her head, Rose took the hands of both girls and headed for the next door down the corridor.

\--

By the time Melody was seven, Rose had stopped fretting _everyday_ about the future. That's not to say that on rare occasions, when all was quiet and she was alone with her thoughts, she didn’t sometimes think about the fact that the future Doctor still hadn’t returned for Melody. But with two rambunctious children and a husband that rarely slept, those quiet times were far and few between. She didn't know if it was worse to think he wouldn't be coming back for her and the implications of that or to think that each day they spent with Melody was one day closer to the unknown end of their time together. She’d become very adept at taking each day as it came and making sure her family never felt anything but secure in her love for them.

Rose reached up to put another bauble on the tree.

“Rose, should you be doing that?”

She rolled her eyes at her mother. “I'm barely three months gone, I think I can handle decorating a Christmas tree.”

“Himself should really be helping you instead of just lazing about.”

The Doctor was spread out across the floor of Jackie’s lounge wearing a bejeweled plastic princess crown and coloring with Clarabelle.

“Mum, he’s keeping Clara occupied, which is a much harder job.”

Jackie crossed her arms looking unconvinced.

The Doctor winked at Rose and offered Clara a different colored crayon. Rose shook her head fondly and went back to decorating.

“Nana, why do you look different in all these pictures?”

Jackie crossed over to were Melody was seated at the table looking through photo albums of Rose’s childhood. “Wha’s that, sweetheart?”

She flipped through pictures of Rose and Jackie at different ages and pointed out the differences. “See, Nan, you don't look the same in these two pictures.”

Jackie smiled. “Well, in that one, see that’s your mummy I’m holding, it was right after she was born and I was only 20. But this other one was your mummy’s 18th birthday. I’m older in that photo, but I don’t look too different from now, do I? Still, I look good for bein’ a gran twice over.”

Jackie sucked her stomach in and Rose laughed. Jackie scolded, “Hush you. You’ll see one day.”

“Stop it. You still look great, Mum.”

The Doctor looked up from his coloring and grinned. “You’ve got good genes, Jackie.” 

She shook her head at the Doctor, but was pleased all the same.

“But Mummy and Daddy still look the same from when I was little.”

“That’s because you see them everyday. And it doesn’t help that your father seems to only own one suit.”

“Oi! I own more than one suit. Is it my fault that I look smashing in this one?”

Jackie rolled her eyes.

The Doctor waggled his eyebrows at his wife. “Rose thinks it’s foxy.”

Jackie held up her hand. “Stop right there.”

Melody went back to studying the photographs before turning back to Jackie. “Nana, when was this one taken? I don't remember it.” 

Melody handed Jackie the photo she’d taken of Rose and the Doctor at Christmas dinner right after he’d regenerated. They were leaning into each other both wearing paper crowns and had huge smiles on their faces. 

A small smiled tugged at Jackie’s lips. It was obvious how in love they were even then. _The idiots._

Jackie handed Melody back the photograph. “That was before you came along. Your mum and dad’s first Christmas together.”

“Second.”

Jackie frowned at the Doctor. “Second?”

“Yup, back when I was big ears and leather, I took Rose to Cardiff at Christmas to see Charles Dickens. So technically _that_ was our first Christmas together.”

“Charles Dickens?” Jackie’s jaw dropped.

Rose called out from her spot by the tree. “He meant to take me to Venice. We only accidentally landed in Cardiff and it was pure luck that Charles Dickens was there at the same time. ‘Side’s, Doctor, it was Christmas Eve, so I'm not sure it counts.”

“Oi! Of course it counts. It was 12:05 Christmas morning when we got back to the TARDIS.”

Rose gave the Doctor a tongue touched smile. “If you say so.”

Melody tugged on Jackie’s arm, her brow creased with concentration. “What’s wrong now, sweetheart?”

“How many years ago was this? I’m seven and a half now, and you said I wasn’t born yet. So how long ago was it?”

Jackie thought for a second before replying, “Next week it’ll be exactly eight years ago.”

Melody held up the photo and looked between it and her mother now. Jackie leaned over Melody’s shoulder and did the same.

“Can I see that, Melly?” 

The little girl handed Jackie the photo. 

Jackie walked over to Rose and held it up right next to her. Her gasp had the Doctor scrambling up off the ground. “Rose. You-” Jackie couldn’t get the words out and instead waved the photo at her daughter.

Rose took the picture from her mother. “What’s wrong?”

“You haven’t aged a bit since you started traveling with this one.” She poked the Doctor in the chest.

“What now?” He leaned over Rose’s shoulder.

“Look at the picture of the both of you from eight years ago.”

“Okay?”

“Rose still looks exactly like she did when she was 20. She’s nearly 29 and she don’t look a day out of her teens. And don’t ‘good genes’ me this time.”

The Doctor’s brow furrowed as he studied the picture. He looked up with panic in his eyes. “Medbay. Now.”

He slapped the photo back into Jackie’s hands.

“Mum, watch the girls for a mo.’”

Jackie watched wide-eyed as the Doctor pulled Rose toward the TARDIS.

\--

“Say something.”

The Doctor could barely look her in the eye and when he did she was hit with a wave of guilt so strong he couldn't hide it over their bond. “I’m so sorry.”

“Why’re you sorry?”

“I never wanted you to…”

“What?”

“Losing everyone you love. You live as long as me, and-”

Rose hopped off the exam table and knelt in front of him. “I won’t be losing everyone I love.”

“Your mum-”

“I lost my dad when I was a baby. And as for Mum, yeah, I don’t want to think about it, but humans are generally expected to outlive their parents.”

“Not by millennia. And...the kids.”

Rose bit her lip and nodded. “That is gonna be hard. We’ll get through it together, though, yeah?”

His eyes still avoided her, but he nodded. “Yeah.”

“The girls are gonna want to go off at some point and have their own lives. Maybe…” She licked her lips. “...Maybe we could stretch out visits to get more time with them. And we’ll make every moment we do have with them count.”

Finally a small smile pulled at his lips. “Yeah. Yes.”

“It’s not all bad, right?” 

The Doctor saw the worry on Rose’s face and he pulled her into his arms. “Course not. I get you for a lot longer than I ever let myself hope.”

“I promised you my forever, and now I get to keep it with yours.” She nuzzled into the crook of his neck. “You’re stuck with me.”

He giggled bubbled free. “Stuck with you, Rose Tyler, that’s not so bad.” He kissed her on the forehead. _I love you._ He stood and offered her a hand. “C’mon. Let’s get back to the girls.”

Rose chewed her thumbnail. “What am I gonna tell Mum?”

“She already knows or at least suspects. You saw her out there” He rubbed his jaw. “‘Sides it doesn’t matter what we say, I’m still gonna get a slap out of it.”


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks so much to meanwhileinpetesworld for all her help with this chapter. It is so much stronger due to your suggestions!

Rose shifted in bed and sat up against the headboard. Her eyes drooped and her body was screaming at her to rest, but when the Doctor placed their tiny newborn daughter into her arms she fought against the descending fog.

Rose placed a light kiss against the peach fuzz on the baby’s head and let the scent of new life flow through her.

She looked up at the Doctor who was fighting off his own tears. 

“She’s perfect.” Rose ran her thumb along the baby’s cheek. “I feel like I’ve known her for ages.”

He dropped to his knees beside the bed and skimmed his fingers over his daughter’s nose. “That’s the Gallifreyan bond. We’ll be able to sense what she needs as she grows, and later we’ll always be able to feel her just on the edges of our minds. It might be a little weaker for you since you’re mostly human, or it might be stronger since you also have a bond with the TARDIS and that could boost it. Can’t tell until we do some tests.”

Rose sighed and leaned her head on the Doctor’s shoulder. “Mmm. Tests can wait for later.”

“Of course, love. You should get some rest while you can.”

The Doctor guided Rose back against her pillows and reached for the baby. Just before he could lift her from Rose’s arms, the room shook.

Rose pushed herself up holding their newest daughter protectively to her chest. “Wha’ was that?”

The Doctor’s eyes were wide with panic. “I don’t know. Stay here. Girls! Girls come here!”

He rushed from the room as Melody and Clara ran in. “Mummy! What was that?” The girls stopped short in front of the bed, both wide-eyed and staring at the baby. 

Clara tilted her head. “Is that our new little sister?”

Rose smiled. “Yeah.” Another jolt hit the TARDIS and the girls stifled their shrieks. “Come up here and stay with me until Daddy gets back.”

Clara and Melody scrambled onto the bed. Clara cuddled into Rose’s side, but Melody paused to study the newest family member. 

Rose’s gaze darted from Melody face to her infant daughter’s and confusion began to color her features. 

The Doctor ran into the room panting and pale. His frantic eyes sought out his wife’s. “Rose, it’s-” He noticed as Melody reached out a hand to the baby. “Don’t touch the baby!”

Melody’s mouth fell open and her hand hovered in the air for a moment before she snatched it back. “I’m sorry.” She looked from her father to her mother and back again, before bursting into tears. 

Rose shifted the baby in her arms so that she could run her hand through Melody’s hair without worrying about the two touching. “Oh, Mel, it’s not your fault, it’s just-” She turned her glance to the Doctor who swallowed hard. “Tell me it’s not possible.”

Another crash rattled the TARDIS.

“Gworatimians.” He sagged against the doorframe and pinched the bridge of his nose. “A swarm.”

“Doctor…” Rose shook her head. “No, it can’t be, please…”

The anguish in his eyes silenced her. He slowly made his way to the bed, to everything that he held dear, to his family. Running his eyes over each of them, he stopped at Melody and reached out to her. “Come here, sweetheart. I’m sorry I yelled.”

She sniffed and threw herself into her father’s arms. He embraced her tightly and rocked her back and forth. Pulling back, he studied her face.

Rose’s voice broke as she asked, “How could we not have known? All this time...”

The Doctor put Melody down and kneeled in front of her. “Can I check something?” He brushed his fingers over the side of her face. “I need to go in your mind. Is that okay?”

The little girl bit her lip so as not to cry and nodded. 

The Doctor rested his fingers on her temple and slipped into her mind. His closed eyes were moving rapidly beneath the lids. When he was done, he stood up and kissed her on the forehead. 

Melody looked up at him with rounded eyes. “Did...did I do something wrong?”

He picked her up in his arms. “No. You did absolutely nothing wrong. It was me.” He glanced at Rose. “She’s got shielding up around her mind that’s blocking her from reaching out to us telepathically. So we wouldn’t realize.”

Rose pressed a fist to her mouth to muffle her sob.

“I’ll fix it when I get back.”

“Back?”

“I need to…I need to find our younger selves and bring them-”

Rose couldn’t contain her gasp. “You can’t.”

“Rose, I…” His eyes darted to Melody. “If I don’t...the paradox...we won’t have Melody, our Melody. And think about how different our lives would be without her. I might never have taken the chance on us...or we might have gone on more dangerous adventures and...I could have lost you well before your time. Clara, Melody…” He ruffled his hair. “We might not have either...Rose our whole family-”

Her face blanched. “How do they even know about the baby? The swarm I mean. We’ve have Mels for years and they’ve never come after her before. Was it because you brought her out of her time stream all those years ago? Did that protect her?”

The Doctor took his sonic out and ran it over both versions of his daughter. He studied the results. “Baby Melody is steeped in artron and huon particles.” He flicked the sonic over her again. “How? Our Melody-

“They’re both ours.”

“Older Mels is in the normal range. But the baby, I haven’t seen readings like this since…” His jaw dropped. “Bad Wolf. She’s inherited...but how? It’s impossible!”

“What does that mean?”

“She’s part Time Lord, part Bad Wolf. She’s not even registering as human at all. And the very act of being born has sparked all sorts of chemical reactions in her body, activating particles that should be static, like they are in you. She’s transmitting enough energy to call every Gworatimian in a million million light years. But older Melody is fine. Completely normal for a half human-half Time Lord. I don’t understand. Maybe it lessens as time goes by?”

“Isn’t there something we can do? Anything? What if we try to outrun them?”

The Doctor’s freckles stood stark against his cheeks. “Rose...”

Rose rubbed at the tears that wouldn't stop. “No, I’m sorry. If there was a way to keep her and protect our family, you’d have found it. But, Doctor, erm, how are you going to...we don't have a vortex manipulator.”

The room shuddered.

“Jack. We’ll stop by Torchwood and pick up Jack. I want him to stay with you and the girls while I...while I’m gone.”

The Doctor pressed a kiss to his infant daughter’s forehead and then did the same to her mother. “I’ll be right back.”

“What? Right now? You’re gonna go right now?”

“I…” He took a deep breath and nodded.

“But I thought we could have a little more time with her. Please. She hasn't even nursed.”

The TARDIS jerked with another impact.

“We don’t have much time. I don’t know how much damage the swarm has already done, but-”

“The shields are up. I thought...Ghengis Kahn and his hordes couldn’t get through the doors. Aren’t we safe as long as we’re in here?”

The Doctor ran a hand down his face and when he reopened his eyes he looked defeated. “Ghengis Kahn was a primitive ape with weapons from the 13th century, of course, he couldn’t get in. These are Gworatimians. They are a thousand times more technologically advanced. When they figure out a way, and they will, to break through the shielding, the TARDIS doors may as well be made of wood.” 

Rose took an unsteady breath. “Be careful, yeah?”

The Doctor pressed a hard, fast kiss to Rose’s lips. “I will. You’ll have a little bit of time with her. I’m going to try and lose them before I land at the Hub. We can’t out run them for good, but hopefully it’ll be long enough to keep you safe while I deliver baby Mels to our younger selves.”

“Okay.”

He took one last look at his family before leaving the room.

\--

The Doctor shifted baby Melody in his arms as he hastily put on his coat and tie. He sat with her on the jump seat and prepared himself to enter her mind. After taking several deep breaths, he lifted his fingers to her temple. He drank in the innocent love she had for him, her father, for a few moments. The paternal bond flooded his mind and he thought about how he could get lost in such a feeling forever. He chastised himself and began erected the barriers around the part of her mind that controlled her telepathy. He voluntarily hid his daughter from him for years to come, taking strength in the knowledge that it would also protect her future. Thought it pained him to feel it go quiet, reminding him so much of losing the Time Lords after the war, he built walls around the part of her mind that controlled her telepathy and dampened the parental bond until it was unnoticeable. 

When he was done, and with tears falling down his cheeks, he laid a hand on the closest strut. _I need your help, Old Girl. Or well, I guess I had your help. I know it had to be your doing having her tests come up as Skalish. And...thank you. I know you probably didn’t like it, but thank you for protecting her._

The timeship hummed forlornly in the back of his mind. 

The Doctor programmed the coordinates into the vortex manipulator.

“Doctor.”

His head snapped up at the sound of his wife’s voice. “Rose, what are you doing out of bed?”

She pushed off the wall and shuffled into the console room. Jack hovered behind her holding onto each of the girls’ hands. 

The Doctor made his way over to them.

Rose snaked her hand around the back of his head and drew him down. She scratched her nails through the short hair at his nape and kissed him. _I love you._ She pulled back and rested her forehead against his. “So much.”

“Rose Tyler...”

“It’s not your fault.”

“Rose-”

“It’s _not_ your fault.”

She leaned back and let him see the conviction in her eyes. He tried to give her a small smile. 

Rose pressed a kiss to her daughter’s head and glanced up in shock. “I…I can’t feel her.”

The Doctor wiped the tears from Rose’s cheek. “Yeah. I’ve already shielded her.”

Rose closed her eyes and tried to steady herself. 

“I...Rose, we’ve got to go.”

She took one last look at her infant daughter. “Goodbye, darling. I’ll...I’ll see you soon, yeah?”

The Doctor held Melody tightly to his chest, and pressed the button that would take him away from his family and bring him to the moment it all began. 

With a sob, Rose dropped to her knees and grasped Melody to her. “I love you, sweetheart. Always know, I love you so much.” 

“I know, Mummy.”

Rose drew Clara into the embrace and clung to her family.

\--

As they arrived on Trillium Seven, the Doctor was left astounded by a soft golden glow rippling just under Melody’s skin. He whipped out the sonic and ran it over her. 

Her artron and huon levels were at an absolutely normal range for a Time Lord, or part Time Lord. _The jump...the jump through the vortex...without a capsule. It must’ve siphoned off the excess energy that was attracting the Gworatimians._ She was safe, completely safe. His shoulders sagged in relief and for a split second he considered running with her back to the Hub where the TARDIS was parked. He'd think of a way to contain the paradox. _What good is being bloody brilliant if I can’t-_

A voice squawked behind him, “What?”

_Too late._

He spun around to face his past self and Rose. When the younger Doctor opened his mouth again, the Doctor raised his hand to stop him. “I don't have much time. I’m from the future, obviously, but I can't tell you how far.” He watched his counterpart swallow and nod. “Aaaand, well, I can't tell you much more than that, but Doctor, Rose, you need to watch over and protect,” the words nearly got stuck in his throat, “ this precious cargo until she can be reunited with her parents.” 

He pocketed the sonic and watched Rose’s eyes dart to the infant in his arms. She raised surprised eyes back to him. Her gaze raked over him and he tried to put on a brave face for his clever future spouse. The longer she looked at him, the more concerned she became. He tried for a bright grin. 

The other Doctor provided a needed distraction. “What? Why? Even for us this is highly irr-” 

“Please.” He hoped his desperation wasn’t obvious. His hearts were breaking and he didn’t want to have to fight to convince others to raise his daughter, even if those others were himself and Rose. He ran through his memories of this moment from the first time he’d lived it. “This little girl is so very important and she’s being hunted by a swarm of Gworatimians.” 

His younger self gasped. “But they-”

He looked down at his newborn daughter. “I’m sorry.” He met the eyes of his future self. “The best option seemed to be taking her out of her timestream to hide her. Well, that and I remembered this happening back when I was you. Circular paradox and all that.” 

The older Doctor closed his eyes. It was so much worse than simply remembering it happening before. If it weren’t for Melody arriving in their life when she did… The one thing in his long lives that was good and pure, that he would never want re-written, was this second chance at a family that he’d been given - quite literally. Right now. By himself. He could never do anything to endanger that. Would do anything to protect them, even if that meant ripping his hearts in half and handing over his infant daughter to others. His only solace was knowing that soon, they would love her as fiercely as he did. She would have a great life, one that he’d be there for in its entirety, and he’d see her again as soon as he returned home. The thought of Melody’s smiling face gave him strength. His beautiful, smart, precious girl. “Anyway…” 

He pushed the sleeping infant into Rose’s arms and adjusted the coordinates on the vortex manipulator strapped to his wrist.

The younger Doctor shook his head and called out to his successor. “Wait! How long...?”

The older steeled himself before glancing back at them. His gaze caught his sleeping daughter’s peaceful face and his hearts stuttered in his chest. He noticed Rose watching a gave her a big grin and a jaunty wink. “Why? Don't think you’re up for a spot of babysitting?” 

“Doctor...”

He ran his hands over his face. “I know that what you’re asking is if I’ll be back in five minutes’ time.” 

The younger Doctor’s eyes narrowed. “It’s a fair question. We do have access to a time machine, though you’d never know it with that...that thing around your wrist. You could easily deal with the swarm and be back in seconds.”

“You think I don’t know that!” He closed his eyes and took a shuddering breath. He turned his gaze on his younger self. “Rose, my Rose, is with...” His eyes briefly lingered on the younger Rose with the baby in her arms. “...the others in the TARDIS. They’re safe there while I deliver this little one to you. You know that the TARDIS doesn’t always take us where we want to go, and for reasons I cannot tell you, because it is too important to your future and my past, this is one of those times. So to answer your question, you’ll have to watch her a little longer than five minutes though I can’t tell you exactly how much longer. I’m sorry. But you’ll understand when you’re me.” _You’ll hate it, but at least you’ll understand._

The younger Doctor let out the breath he was holding and nodded. 

When Rose’s head dropped to look at the infant in her arms, the older Doctor returned to his family.

After arriving back in the right timestream, he plopped down on the jumpseat. He ripped the vortex manipulator from his wrist and threw it onto the console. Running his hands through his hair, he tried to get his emotions under control. It wouldn’t do to upset Rose or the girls. He heard footsteps over his ragged breathing and looked up to see Jack walk into the room. He quickly wiped away his tears and jumped up with a manic grin for his old friend. 

Jack’s eyes narrowed as he walked toward the Doctor and picked up his vortex manipulator. “You okay?”

“Yup. Always okay, me.”

Jack didn't think the Doctor would accept a hug, so he clapped him on the back. “I am sorry.”

The Doctor bristled. “What’s to be sorry about? I still have my family, and-”

Jack sighed. “I know how much you and Rose were looking forward to expanding said family.”

“But don’t you see? We don’t have to worry about Mel being taken from us. She’s not lost. We’ve had her for her entire life. And we’ll get to keep her for the rest of it. So we may not have another member, but we still have each other. And if...in the future…”

“No, that’s good. It’s a great way of looking at things. Go on back to your family. They need you.”

The Doctor watched the handsome American make his way to the exit.

“Goodbye, Jack. And thanks. Oh, erm, also…” 

Jack paused at the door and lifted a brow. “Yeah?”

“If we ever do have another child, I’ll need to borrow the vortex manipulator again.”

“Uh, sure. But do you really want to put yourselves through all this again?”

“A quick jaunt through the vortex drains off the excess arton and huon particles. We won’t have to worry about this again.”

Jack’s eyes brightened along with a megawatt grin. “Doc, that’s…” His smile fell with the realization of how much harder it must have been to give up baby Melody after discovering that. “...great. Anytime you need it, it’s yours.”

The Doctor’s voice quivered with emotion, “Thanks.”

Jack slipped quietly out the door and the Doctor immediately took the TARDIS into the vortex.

\--

“Daddy, you’re back!”

Melody jumped off the bed and leapt into the Doctor’s arms. He spun her around eliciting a giggle and kissed her temple. He settled onto the edge of the bed and kissed Clara and Rose, trying not to focus on the red-rimmed eyes of his wife.

“Mel, remember earlier when I went into your mind? Well, I need to fix something. Is that okay?”

Melody bit her lip. “Is something’s wrong with my brain?”

“No, darling, not at all. But I did something to you when you were a baby that needs fixing now. Do you trust me?”

The little girl nodded.

The Doctor swept Melody’s dark blonde curls back and tucked them behind her ears. Gently bringing his fingers to her temple, he eased into her mind. He tried not to lose himself in the innocent love she projected and deftly dismantled the walls he’d just built for the infant Melody. 

It was good that he was already sitting, because at her first tentative telepathic touch he felt all the muscles in his body go weak. His daughter, her love and affection and the space she took up in his mind, he let all it wash through him. 

He heard Rose gasp and choke back a sob that ended in a joyous laugh. “Oh, Melody.”

“Mummy? Daddy? I...I can feel you in my head.”

“Yes, darling. We’re...you’re half-Time Lord. And Time Lords are telepathic. So what you’re feeling is the bond that you have with me and Mummy.”

“But I thought I was Skalish?”

“I thought so too, but it turns out that you’re not. You’re half-human, like Mummy, and half-Time Lord, like me. You were the baby that Mummy had earlier.”

Clara who had been watching intently asked, “Am I half-human and half-Time Lord too?”

Rose snuggled her closer. “No, sweetie, you’re still Aessithian. Our little Aessithian princess.”

“Oh. Okay.”

“How can I be the baby? I’m eight.”

“You remember from our lessons when I explained about time? How time is wibbly wobbly?”

“A big ball of wibbly wobbly, timey wimey stuff. Yeah?”

“Yes, exactly.” The Doctor raised his hand and made a fist. “Well, I had to bring you back after you were born…” He touched his pointer finger to a place on one side of his fist. “...to be raised by me and Mummy eight years ago…” And moved the finger to the other side of his fist. “...so that we could fall in love, and start a family, and so that we could have you forever.”

Melody scrunched her forehead in thought. “And because that’s what happened for all of us already?”

“Yes. Molto bene! It’s a circular paradox, but now it’s complete and we don’t have to worry about it anymore.”

Mel glanced at Clara. “Does this mean we’re not getting a little sister?”

Rose shook her head. “No, sweetheart, I’m sorry. Daddy and I were given a gift, not the one we were expecting, but...but that means no little sister for you and Clara.”

“Oh.” Melody chewed on her lip before her eyes brightened. “Can we get a puppy then?”

The Doctor laughed and hugged his daughter closer. “Anything for my girls.”

Clara clapped. “Yay! A puppy!”

“Doctor!”


	7. Chapter 7

Rose held tightly to her daughters’ hands and glanced around the medical tent. She straightened her shoulders and with a sharp look around quickly sized up where she was needed most. It had been only two weeks since losing baby Melody, and though her body was completely healed due to the magic of the TARDIS medbay, emotionally she was still recovering. She felt her anger building at the time ship. _You an’ I are gonna be having words later about bringin’ the girls into a war zone._

She led her daughters over to a woman who was trying to wrangle a small gaggle of children and two crying babies. She told Melody and Clara to play quietly with some of the younger kids, while she sat down next to the frazzled woman. 

“Hello, I’m Rose.” She reached out her hand to the other woman, who smiled gratefully at Rose.

“Selphina.”

“Can I help?”

“Vord, yes. Thank you.” She handed Rose a bottle and the smaller of the two babies. 

Selphina picked up the other infant and began feeding her.

Rose tried not to examine the child in her arms too closely and instead directed her attention to Selphina. “Are these all orphans from the war?” 

“Yeah. New one arrives every day.” Selphina nodded at the baby in Rose’s arms. “Just got him in this morning. That little mite’s parents weren’t killed in the fighting though.”

“Oh?” Rose’s gaze dropped in surprise and her heart melted at the little pucker that had formed between his brows as he sucked heartily on the teet. 

“Yeah. Sad story, not that they all don’t have sad stories.”

Rose nodded and waited quietly for a moment until her curiosity couldn’t take it anymore. “What happened to his parents? You said they weren’t killed by fighting.”

“Oh! Well, his father was a great scientist. Did so much for so many. He developed a lot of new vaccines and serums. Found ways to prevent crop decay. He is single handedly responsible for saving hundreds of thousands of our people. The only thing is...he was from another planet. I mean he looked enough like us, but still...off worlder.” She shrugged. “It doesn’t bother most people, but there are some that still look down on that sort of thing. No matter how much good he’d done for us.”

Rose touched the center of his palm with her finger and smiled as he grasped it firmly. She glanced up Selphina. “Did...were his parents killed for being outsiders?”

“No. His father was already an old man when he arrived here. But last year he met and fell in love with a young woman in the next town over. And she with him. Her parents were not agreeable to the marriage. Thought it was an embarrassment that their daughter would marry him, no matter how renowned he was. They disowned her. Not that the newlyweds cared. They were both so happy when she found out she was pregnant.” Selphina smiled and was lost to her memories. “I used to see them at the bakery my grandmother owned.” She shook her head. “To find a love like theirs...”

“So what happened?”

“Well, as I said Adric, that was the name of the baby’s father, Adric Traken… He was elderly. Died of natural causes due to his age. The one thing there’s no cure for. Never even got to meet his son.”

“Oh.” Rose covered her mouth. “Oh, that’s awful.”

Selphina nodded. “Yes, and the baby’s mother, Markeena, died in childbirth, just last night. Her family didn’t want anything to do with him and so they dropped him here, knowing we take in orphans.”

Rose lifted the boy to her shoulder and rubbed his back. “How could they not want him?” She closed her eyes and breathed in the powdery scent of the newborn. A bubbling desire to help this child began to build in her and she suddenly knew exactly why the TARDIS would land them 400 years away from their intended target and straight in the middle of another civil war. 

Rose opened her eyes and looked Selphina straight in the eye. “I need to discuss it with my husband first, but I want to adopt him.”

The other woman gasped. “But...but you have your own children. You’d take on another? A stranger’s?”

Rose’s eyes narrowed on the other woman. “Of course. My youngest daughter is adopted.”

“And his mixed blood?”

“My husband and I aren’t the same species. We don’t care about things like that.”

Selphina’s eyes widened. “It’s best you don’t share that with anyone else here. Just in case.”

Rose gave a curt nod. She cradled the now sleeping infant in her arms and pressed a soft kiss to his crown. Her mind flashed back to doing the same thing with baby Melody shortly after her birth and a gush of overwhelming emotion threatened to drown her. 

Rose focused on the gentle rise and fall of the baby’s chest to calm her own breathing. One thought that floated through her mind was how much she needed this - needed him - in their lives. 

“Rose!” The Doctor looked around with a wild glint in his eye, until he found her. 

“Doctor...” 

He kneeled at her side and ran his hands along her spine. “You okay? I could feel-”

“Yeah.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “I’m fine.”

“You don’t sound fine.”

She sniffed back the tears and laughed. “No, I am. Really. I know why the TARDIS brought us here.”

“What d’you mean?”

“Him.” 

The Doctor glanced down at the tiny bundle in her arms. “What?”

“We’re here for him.”

Brow furrowed, the Doctor glanced from his wife to the baby and back. “I don’t-”

“We need to help him. He’s all alone. Both his parents died. An’ was abandoned by his grandparents ‘cos they didn’t like that their daughter married an alien.” Rose’s eyes roamed the room until she caught sight of Melody. Also the product of the love of two different species, though with a very different outcome. A grin tugged at her lips. “I want to adopt him.” She met the startled eyes of her husband. “Please? Can we?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah. I’m so grateful about Melody, but...I was looking forward to having a baby again. And in the short time I’ve spent with him, my heart’s already started to heal.”

The Doctor hugged Rose closer and pressed his lips to her forehead. “Then there’s nothing to discuss.”

“Really?”

“Really.”

“I love you.”

“Quite right, too.”

Rose smiled through her tears. “Girls, come meet your new brother.”

\--

The Doctor held the door open between their room and the nursery. Rose tossed a flirty grin over her shoulder as she passed through the doorway. The Doctor’s hearts expanded to see her smiling again. 

At her gasp, he shook off his thoughts and rushed into the room. “What’s wrong?”

Rose turned in a slow circle, taking in all the changes the TARDIS had made. “The nursery’s completely different.”

The Doctor frowned in confusion as he looked around the room. “This is Nyssa’s old room.”

The bright white walls with the depressed roundels and the fern in the corner was unmistakable. And although the bed had been replaced with a cot, and the place where once was a table used for experiments now held a changing table, it was definitely Nyssa’s old room. 

Rose placed the baby onto his back in the cot. “Nyssa? Who’s that?”

“What? Oh, hmm...she was a companion, once upon a time. Nyssa of Traken.” He smiled at the memories of the brave and intelligent young woman.

Rose paused. “Traken? Did you say Traken?”

The Doctor turned to face her. “Yeah. That was the name of her home planet.”

“But his father’s last name was Traken. Erm, Ad… Adr-”

The blood drained from the Doctor’s face. “Adric Traken?”

“Yes! That’s it. Adric Traken. How did-”

“Adric Traken was Nyssa’s son. I met him once, many years after Nyssa stopped traveling with me.”

“Oh, but don’t you see? I knew we were meant to find him. This just proves it.”

The Doctor couldn’t get words past the lump in his throat, so he simply nodded. 

“And he still needs a name. Should we name him ‘Adric’ after his father?”

He closed his eyes. “That...yeah.”

“Doctor? What is it? What’s wrong? This is good, yeah?”

“Sorry. Yeah.” The Doctor took a deep breath. “It's just that Nyssa named her son after a boy that travelled with me...us. Died while in my care. He tried to save the Earth and I couldn’t save him.”

“Oh, Doctor, I'm so sorry. If it's too painful-”

“No. No, it's a fine name. A testament to Nyssa’s fondness for Adric and a worthy tribute for a very special young man.”

“So Adric Tyler?”

The Doctor walked up behind Rose and rested his chin on her shoulder as they looked at their newest child. “I think... Adric Tremas Tyler.”

“Tremas?”

“Nyssa’s father and a good friend.”

Rose spun and wrapped her arms around the Doctor's waist. “I love it. He’ll always have that part of his past with him.”

“And Tyler because he’s ours.” 

Rose kissed her husband before turning and leaning against his chest while they both watched their son sleep.

\--

The shrieks of children playing and a dog barking carried on the wind to where Rose and Jackie were seated. Rose rocked the pram where her 3-month old daughter, Sarah, lay sleeping, while Jackie kept her eyes on the rest of her grandchildren. 

“Mum, relax. The Doctor’s got ‘em in hand.”

Jackie snorted. “He’s the one I’m worried will get in the most trouble.”

Rose’s lips twitched as she tried not to laugh. “No hope there.”

“Now that Jenny of yours, on the other hand, has a good head on her shoulders.”

_Jenny._ Rose hadn’t expected to have a progenerated teenage daughter join her family, especially while 6-months pregnant, but that was the sort of life mad life she lived. And she wouldn’t change it for the world. 

“She does, doesn’t she?” A small grin pulled at the corners of Rose’s lips. “Though all the girls do.”

Jackie snorted. “That’s ‘cos they all take after you.”

Her eyes roamed the park until they landed on the first daughter to come into her life - tall, thin, too smart for her own good - Melody. At twelve, she grew more and more like her father every day.

Rose groaned and Jackie snapped her gaze at her. “Wha’s wrong?”

“Was just thinkin,’ ‘m about to have _two_ teenage daughters. Blimey, nothing like your kid’s birthday to make you feel old.”

Jackie rolled her eyes. “Please, you’re not even 34, wait til you’re about to have two teenage _grand_ children.”

“Stop it. Nobody’d ever guess you were fif-”

“Forty-seven.”

The Doctor plopped down on the bench between Jackie and Rose with Adric in his lap and gave his wife a peck on the cheek. “Forty-seven what?”

Jackie crossed her arms. “My age.”

The Doctor barked out a laugh before catching an elbow in the side from Rose, who glared at him and hissed, “Rude.”

“What? Why’s that rude? She’s fifty-three.”

“She’s tellin’ people she’s forty-seven.”

“I’m 915 and you don’t see me lying about it.”

“Yeah, but you look like your 35, don’t need to lie about your age. Do ya?”

“Vanity, thy name is Jac-”

“But you’re not 915, Daddy.” Adric played with this father’s tie. 

Both women turned in surprise to the 4-year old. 

The Doctor squeaked, “What?”

Jackie opened her arms to her grandson. “C’mere, Ricky.”

“It’s ‘Adric,’ Jackie.”

“I know that, but we’re out in public. I’m gonna call him something normal sounding. Now-”

“Mum…”

“Nana always calls me ‘Ricky’ ’cos I told her I liked it.”

“You did?”

“Yup.” 

Jackie cuddled Adric closer and peppered kisses on his face until he giggled. “You’re my favorite grandson. Did you know that? 

He rolled his eyes, but smiled brightly. “I'm your only grandson.”

“Still... Now what were you saying about your daddy’s age, sweetheart?”

“Melody said the TARDIS told her that Daddy is really 1468, but he didn’t want to scare Mummy off so he picked a round number under a thousand.”

The Doctor’s jaw fell open and the tips of his ears turned red. Jackie cackled and stood up. “Vanity, thy name is ‘Doctor.’ Come on, sweetheart, let’s go play on the swings.”

“Okay, Nan!” Adric took his grandmother’s hand and they walked off. 

Rose cuddled into the Doctor’s side. 

“Rose, I...”

She looked up at him through her lashes. “Is it true?”

He ran his hand across the back of his neck. “The truth? I haven’t a clue how old I am.” He sighed. “But if the Old Girl says 1468, it’s probably pretty close.”

Rose started giggling.

“What?”

She grinned at him with a hint of tongue peeking out the side of her smile. “It’s a Hell of an age gap.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist and chuckled. “You’re mum’s never gonna let me live this down is she?”

Rose shook her head before laying it on his shoulder. “Nope.”

The Doctor looked out at the park. Jenny, their surprise daughter, was sitting on the lip of a fountain. Kicking her feet back and forth while she flirted with a poor boy who didn’t know what hit him. _Takes after her mother, that one._ Clara and their Barcelonian (the city not the planet) galgo chased a laughing Melody around a tree, even though the younger girl had no chance of catching her older sister, who’d inherited the Doctor’s propensity for running. Jackie chatted with a young mum whose daughter was swinging in time next to Adric. He glanced over at the final piece to the puzzle that made up their family - the sleeping infant in the pram at their side. 

He kissed Rose’s crown. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”


End file.
